Austria – bridge builder in the European Union
On 1 July 2018, Austria takes over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union for the third time after 1998 and 2006. The motto of the Presidency is "A Europe that protects". The Austrian priorities are security, digitalisation and stability in the European neighbourhood.
The Austrian Presidency of the Council of the European Union will focus on security and the fight against illegal migration, securing prosperity and competitiveness through digitalisation, and stability in the European neighbourhood.
The motto of the Austrian Presidency is ‘A Europe that protects’. In order to achieve this objective, Austria’s approach will be based on enhancing the principle of subsidiarity. The European Union should focus on big issues which require a joint solution and take a step back when it comes to smaller issues where member states or regions are in a better position to take decisions. This approach aims at taking seriously the motto of the European Union, ‘United in Diversity’.
To that effect, the Austrian Presidency will prioritise the protective role of the European Union, in particular concerning three priority areas:
- Security and the fight against illegal migration
- Securing prosperity and competitiveness through digitalisation
- Stability in the European neighbourhood – EU perspective of the Western Balkans/South Eastern Europe
Austria views its role during the forthcoming Council Presidency as that of a neutral broker. Given its geographic location in the heart of the EU, its obligation of neutrality and in line with its traditional role as bridge builder, Austria will endeavour to contribute to the unity within the EU during its Council Presidency.
“We are both proud and glad to assume the presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July. It is a great honour for us, but also a great responsibility”, stressed today Federal Chancellor Sebastian Kurz. He said that the international environment is currently a difficult one, and that the European Union is also faced with the internal challenge of Brexit – the first time that an EU member state is voluntarily leaving the Union. “We wish to use the Council presidency to act as a bridge builder in the European Union and to ease tensions within Europe, thereby ensuring that the European Union is a strong union.”
Federal Chancellor Kurz also said that Austria wants to do its part to build a Europe that is streamlined, united and most importantly focused. One of its priorities in this respect is security: “We want to create a Europe that protects – a Europe that, on the one hand, provides security and, on the other hand, also secures the prosperity that has been created and increased in Europe”, said the Austrian Federal Chancellor. He stressed that the Austrian Presidency could only be successful if there is strong cooperation with all EU member states and all EU institutions.
Council President Donald Tusk stressed that Austrian couldn’t have chosen a better motto for its presidency than “A Europe that protects”. What Europe needs, he said, is stability rather than instability and security rather than a lack of security, but not to the detriment of freedom.
Photo by Марти Макфлай (Hallstadt, Austria)
