The Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting of Our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, stated this Thursday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that what unites the citizens of the European Union is “a set of values on which we agree despite our diversity.”

During a meeting organised by the New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Margaritis Schinas commented on the Eurobarometer figures that indicate that 75% of the citizens of the Member States consider themselves European citizens.

Schinas considered this high percentage of people who identify with the European Union project to be very encouraging, but stated that the European way of life should not be based on a concept of "Homo Europaeus".

The Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting of Our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, said this Thursday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that the European Union "is not yet capable of becoming a significant diplomatic force in foreign policy".

During a meeting organised by the New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Margaritis Schinas responded to a question on the decision by Spain, Norway and Ireland to recognise the State of Palestine.

Schinas argued that this is an example of how Europe, which has managed to jointly buy vaccines and approve ‘Next Generation’ funds, "is yet not able to become a significant diplomatic force in foreign policy". "It is sad", he said.

The Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting of Our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas, stated this Thursday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that the Europe of defence and security needs a prior agreement between France and Germany that establishes the parameters for the rest of the Member States.

During a meeting organised by the New Economy Forum in the EU capital, Margaritis Schinas said that in the legislature that will begin after the elections on 9 June, one of the important issues will undoubtedly be security and defence.

The Belgian Minister of the Interior, Institutional Reforms and Democratic Renewal, Annelies Verlinden, said on Thursday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that "if we tackle the challenges" of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum reached in the European Union "people will not fall prey to those who rely on anger and hatred".

This was the view of Annelies Verlinden during a meeting organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital in which she presented the conference given by the Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting our European Way of Life, Margaritis Schinas.

Ms. Verlinden praised Schinas' work as coordinator of the Commission's work on the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, “ensuring a balanced approach to migration that aligns the external and internal dimensions” of the phenomenon.

The President of the European Investment Bank (EIB) and former Spanish Vice-President Nadia Calviño predicted on Monday at the Forum Europa in Brussels that activity and lending to the defence and security industry will increase in the second half of the year with the EIB's regulatory changes to facilitate lending to this sector.

Calviño took part in an event organised by New Economy Forum in the EU capital, where she referred to the approval earlier this month by the EIB's Board of Directors of the action plan to step up support for the European security and defence industry.