EESC President

I welcome the European Commission’s Communication ‘Preparing for a wider Union’ as an important contribution to ensuring that the European Union is institutionally, politically and financially prepared for future accessions.  

I welcome the European Commission’s 2026 Enlargement Package and its individual country reports, published on 4 November 2026, which reaffirms that EU enlargement represents a strategic investment in a safer, more secure and prosperous future for the entire European continent.

Overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is the protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and a decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.

The State of the Union Address by Commission President von der Leyen gives a realistic picture of the challenges Europe faces, while pointing towards a future in which our Union can be stronger, more resilient and autonomous. 

On Europe Day, we celebrate not simply a political union or an economic project, but a democratic vision founded on peace, participation and solidarity among peoples.

At the heart of that vision lies an essential principle: democracy is not sustained by institutions alone. It survives because people believe they still have a voice.

Today, across Europe and beyond, that principle is under growing pressure.

I welcome the decision by European Union Ambassadors to establish a Council Working Party tasked with drafting the Accession Treaty with Montenegro and congratulate Montenegro for this important milestone. This represents both a recognition of progress and an incentive to accelerate reforms. 

The developments in Iran and the Middle East region are of great concern. 

I call on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and to protect civilians. 

Above all, I am deeply distressed by the loss of civilian lives in all the territories affected. 

I welcome the Intergenerational Fairness Strategy adopted yesterday and its recognition of intergenerational fairness as a strategic choice for the EU.

The adoption of the new Gender Equality Strategy 2026–2030 by the European Commission (EC) is a timely, decisive and very welcome step forward for the entire European Union (EU). It affirms the urgency of gender equality as a fundamental human right and as a core pillar of our democratic, social and economic model.