Politics
“We wish to guide Europe towards decisions that bring tangible improvements to people’s lives”, the Prime Minister of Estonia, Jüri Ratas, stated during yesterday’s debate in which the Estonian Government approved the programme of its presidency of the Council of the EU, which starts tomorrow, 1 July. There are four priority areas: working for an open and innovative economy by cutting down, for instance, on excessive bureaucracy and supporting growth and job creation, through trade partnerships and scientific research in the areas of innovation and new technologies; improving security and safety in Europe by stepping up cross-border cooperation, surveillance over Europe’s external borders, and by seeking to provide security, peace, and stability beyond the EU’s borders; making Europe digital, since “quick, high-quality and available internet connectivity is one of the cornerstones of a smart, data-led economy”; and, finally, working for an inclusive and sustainable Europe by providing equal opportunities for all, a better balance between work and family life, more opportunities for young people and a greener economy by implementing the agreement on climate change. “Estonia has become an example to follow for all Europeans with aspirations”, the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk, said at the opening ceremony of the Estonian presidency in Tallinn, for its “courage in transforming the economic and financial reality” and for its achievements after the fall of communism.
