Press Releases

It is an honour to speak before you after my first appearance in December 2024, when I shared my views about Europe’s competitiveness challenges. Our first discussion with President Boland, on his inauguration day, was about housing scarcity in Europe, to prepare the first-ever Leaders’ discussion on the European housing crisis. Housing is a key element of the cost-of-living crisis and a maj...
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The current pace of executions in Iran is appalling. The EU has a firm and principled opposition to the use of capital punishment in all cases and in all circumstances. The death penalty is incompatible with the inalienable right to life and the absolute prohibition of cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment. It fails to act as deterrent to crime and makes miscarriages of justice irreversible. The ...
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The press briefing ahead of the Eurogroup meeting will take place on Thursday, 30 April at 13.45. The briefing will be "off the record" and will be given by Tuomas Saarenheimo, President of the Eurogroup Working Group. The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either remotely or in person at the Europa build...
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Excellencies, Colleagues, On behalf of the European Union, let me start by extending our gratitude to Brunei for hosting us here today. I also wanted to thank my colleagues both from ASEAN and across the EU who have travelled here for this 25th EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. As we gather here, the world is being tested as never before. The war in the Middle East has triggered a global e...
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Thank you, dear Minister Erywan. Thank you for the excellent organisation of this Ministerial. Let me also commend Brunei for its excellent hospitality and leadership. I mean, today's meeting, as well as yesterday's evening, were spectacular. In today's global landscape, none of our countries can afford to stand alone. What is now happening in the Middle East makes this abundantly clear to everyo...
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The press briefing ahead of the European Political Community of 4 May 2026, and the EU-Armenia summit of 4-5 May 2026, will take place on Wednesday 29 April 2026 at 15.00. This briefing will be "off the record". The press briefing will take place in a hybrid format: EU accredited journalists will be able to participate and ask questions either in person at the Europa building press room or r...
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L’Union européenne condamne fermement les attaques terroristes perpétrées au Mali le 25 avril. L’Union européenne adresse ses sincères condoléances aux familles des victimes ainsi qu’aux autorités maliennes, et exprime également sa pleine solidarité avec le peuple malien. Nous réaffirmons notre détermination dans la lutte contre le terrorisme, ainsi que notre engagement en faveur de la paix,...
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First, I would like to thank President Christodoulides for hosting this important meeting at such a crucial time. The war in the Middle East has already had disastrous consequences. For people, for infrastructure and for the global economy. And with every day that passes without a solution, the situation is only getting worse. The current situation clearly underscores how closely Europe’s se...
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Regarding the international crisis that we are in. First, good news about Ukraine: the €90 billion loan we got done, and also the 20th sanctions’ package. Now we should also revisit the previous red lines that have been there for blocking some of the sanctions, and what more can we do so. Prime Ministers were really pushing to go on with the 21st package of sanctions, as well. It sends a very cl...
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Today is a very good day. We have taken two very important steps in order to strengthen Ukraine:    delivering on our €90 billion loan, in order to support Ukraine for this year and next year, to satisfy their main needs for financial support and to defend themselves against Russian aggression;    and, the second step, increasing the pressure on Russia, with our 20th package of sanction...
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