Dear Minister Tajani,

Dear Colleagues,

 

Strategic autonomy has become one of the defining concepts of today’s European debate. Yet I sometimes have the impression that we do not all mean the same thing when we use this term.

For the Czech Republic, strategic autonomy does not mean isolation. It does not mean protectionism. And it certainly does not mean the illusion that Europe should produce everything by itself.

Strategic autonomy means something much simpler. It means ensuring that Europe is never dependent on those who are prepared to turn that dependence against us. That, in our view, is the true meaning of strategic autonomy.

The past few years have taught us this lesson very clearly. The covid pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of global supply chains. Russia’s and Iran’s manipulation of energy supplies demonstrated how economic dependence can become a geopolitical weapon almost overnight.

And growing geopolitical tensions remind us that the same applies to critical raw materials, semiconductors and digital technologies. But the answer to these challenges cannot be European isolation. The answer to dependency is diversification. More reliable partners. Stronger trade relationships. More resilient supply chains.

And above all, a more competitive European economy.

We should never confuse strategic autonomy with strategic isolation. Europe will not become stronger by closing itself to the world. It will become stronger by ensuring that no one can use our dependencies against us.

That is precisely why we see the Single Market as Europe’s greatest strategic asset. A strong, open and competitive Single Market is our best instrument for strengthening Europe’s resilience. As we pursue greater resilience, we should also resist the temptation to respond to every new challenge with another layer of regulation.

Europe’s competitiveness will depend not only on the new policies we adopt. It will also depend on our willingness to remove unnecessary burdens that hold back growth, innovation and investment.

The same logic applies to the Western Balkans. Our partners in the region are not merely beneficiaries of European policy. They are part of the European solution. Stronger transport corridors. More secure energy infrastructure. More resilient supply chains. Greater cybersecurity.

All these investments strengthen not only the Western Balkans, they strengthen Europe as a whole.

                                                                               

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Strategic autonomy is not an end in itself.

It is a means of ensuring that Europe remains free, secure and prosperous in an increasingly unpredictable world. Allow me to conclude with one simple thought.

The answer to dependency is not isolation, it is diversification.

And a more resilient Europe will not be built by building more walls. It will be built by building stronger partnerships.

 

Thank you.