Ladies and gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to welcome you today to this important event, organized by the European Policy Centre. With such an impressive line-up of speakers, it promises to be a rich and insightful experience.

Conversations like these help us see current issues from fresh perspectives and shape effective policy responses. Today will be no different, especially given the extraordinary context of trade and economic security, topics I am here to address.

We are witnessing a profound paradigm shift in global trade and in how we define economic strength and security. The romantic good old days of trade are firmly behind us, but that doesnt mean we should give up our values, goals, or determination.

Trade is not just a political slogan. It is an economic imperative.

The World Bank estimates that approximately one billion people have been lifted out of extreme poverty over the past three decades. Many countries once classified as least developed are now emerging players.

Trade is progress. Trade is peace in motion.

Every product we use tells a story of global interdependence.

This is the reality of todays supply chains - complex, collaborative, interdependent.

Thanks to these global connections, we better understand each other and the challenges we face - from the growing impacts of climate change to the AI revolution.

The European Union has always stood for free and fair trade. Robert Schuman emphasized this when he said: Europe cannot be made without making economic progress, and economic progress depends on free trade and cooperation.

We negotiate. We do not isolate. We do not leave the table.

Our focus is on reaching commercially meaningful, mutually beneficial deals tailored to each partner.

Given the paradigm shift in the global trade landscape, we are going beyond traditional FTAs to include digital agreements, sustainable investment facilitation, and Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships.

We are making Europe more attractive for investment by boosting competitiveness and simplifying our laws and internal processes.

The message is clear: the EU is open for business, reliable, and committed to fairness and mutual gain.

Economic security is no longer an abstract concept, but a pressing priority demanding immediate action.

Our objective is straightforward - to identify real, high-risk vulnerabilities across critical areas and act swiftly to address them.

Now is the moment for Europe to build a system that is open, reliable, and resilient.

Thank you.