President Juncker at the EU27 leaders’ Sibiu Summit - Main contents

Source: European Commission (EC) i, published on Thursday, May 9 2019.

EU leaders send a message of unity and confidence in their future joint actions

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker participated today in the Informal meeting of EU27 heads of state or government in Sibiu, Romania, where leaders celebrated Europe Day focusing on strategic plans for the Union in the coming years.

At the press conference President Juncker said that today EU leaders demonstrated solid unity underlining that "we have achieved a lot together: we agreed on 348 proposals, 90% of them through unanimity; unemployment and deficits are down compared to 2014 and growth is up. Unity matters and this is our way to the future.”

EU leaders adopted the Sibiu Declaration, sending a message of unity and confidence in their joint actions.

They reaffirmed their belief that "united, we are stronger in this increasingly unsettled and challenging world. We recognise our responsibility as leaders to make our Union stronger and our future brighter, while recognising the European perspective of other European States".

EU leaders underlined that "the Union of today is stronger than that of yesterday and we want to continue to build its strength for tomorrow. This is our commitment for the future generations. This is the spirit of Sibiu and of a new Union at 27 ready to embrace its future as one".

They unanimously agreed on the following 10 commitments:

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We will defend one Europe - from East to West, from North to South. Thirty years ago millions of people fought for their freedom and for unity and brought down the Iron Curtain, which had divided Europe for decades. There is no place for divisions that work against our collective interest.
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We will stay united, through thick and thin. We will show each other solidarity in times of need and we will always stand together. We can and we will speak with one voice.
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We will always look for joint solutions, listening to each other in a spirit of understanding and respect.
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We will continue to protect our way of life, democracy and the rule of law. The unalienable rights and the fundamental freedoms of all Europeans were hard fought and will never be taken for granted. We will uphold our shared values and principles enshrined in the Treaties.
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We will deliver where it matters most. Europe will continue to be big on big matters. We will continue to listen to the concerns and hopes of all Europeans, bringing the Union closer to our citizens, and we will act accordingly, with ambition and determination.
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We will always uphold the principle of fairness, whether it be in the labour market, in welfare, in the economy or in the digital transformation. We will further reduce disparities between us and we will always help the most vulnerable in Europe, putting people before politics.
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We will give ourselves the means to match our ambitions. We will provide the Union with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry through its policies.
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We will safeguard the future for the next generations of Europeans. We will invest in young people and build a Union fit for the future, able to cope with the most pressing challenges of the 21st century.
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We will protect our citizens and keep them safe by investing in our soft and hard power and by working with our international partners.
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Europe will be a responsible global leader. The challenges we face today affect us all. We will continue working with our partners in the world to uphold and develop the rules-based international order, to make the most of new trading opportunities and to jointly tackle global issues such as preserving our environment and fighting climate change.

Related Links

The Sibiu Declaration

Factsheets on the Commission's 10 priorities:

Commission contribution to the 2019-2024 strategic agenda

Europe in May 2019: Preparing for a more united, stronger and more democratic Union in an increasingly uncertain world