On Wednesday 3 October, Estonia’s Prime Minister Jüri Ratas addressed MEPs meeting in plenary session in Strasbourg. He delivered a resolutely pro-European speech, urging for cooperation and deepening of the EU in order to strengthen the European “feeling”.
The head of the Estonian government opened his speech with a reference to his country’s Soviet past in order to explain his country’s attachment to the European Union. He then alluded to a quote from the singer Bono, in the same vein as his own address: “Europe is not just a thought but also a feeling and a destiny”.
Ratas focused essentially on the EU’s vision, without tackling many noteworthy points on precise action.
The Estonian prime minister spoke of his desire to maintain a “united and progressive European Union (...), the only way to be able to shape the future”. This vision, he said, needs answers to “the major challenges of our time”.
Ratas also called for an agreement for an “ambitious multiannual financial framework (MFF 2021-2027) which reflects such challenges”, the MFF being the “best indicator” of the EU’s ambition. This comes at a time when discussion is ongoing with regards the post-2020 MFF (see EUROPE 12098, 12107).
On the subject of migration, the Estonian prime minister said he was in favour of long term solutions, working together with countries of emigration to reduce illegal migration. We would recall that the heads of state and government tackled this issue during their informal meeting in Salzburg on 19 and 20 September (see EUROPE 12100).
In addition, Ratas spoke of an issue that Estonia holds dear: artificial intelligence and digital development. This point was welcomed, especially, by Manfred Weber (EPP, Germany), as Estonia is advanced when it comes to digital development. “It is high time to complete the digital single market”, Ratas said.
Wishing to deepen the Union, he hailed “strengthened defence cooperation”, in particular referring to permanent structured cooperation (PESCO) (see EUROPE 12051, 12085). Guy Verhofstadt (ALDE, Belgium) seized the opportunity provided by Ratas’ address to point out that he hopes to “develop a true European defence community”.
Finally, Ratas pointed to the need to communicate on the Union’s action towards citizens to combat populism. “The future elections of the European Parliament give us a golden opportunity to explain our decisions”, he said.
Europhile MEPs welcomed what Estonia had done during its presidency of the Council of the European Union during the second half of 2017, while Eurosceptic forces expressed criticism regarding action by the EU. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)