President of the European Parliament calls for strong transatlantic alliances and unity
In a recent address at the Hopkins Bloomberg Center, Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, emphasized the importance of fostering mutually beneficial partnerships
Key Takeaways
- Metsola advocated for a strengthened transatlantic relationship rooted in shared values of freedom, justice, and democracy to tackle global challenges.
- She said the European Union is committed to defending free and fair trade and will take action to oppose unjust tariffs and barriers.
At a time of geopolitical and economic global challenges, Roberta Metsola, president of the European Parliament, reaffirmed the value of transatlantic alliances at a recent address delivered at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in the Hopkins Bloomberg Center.
Metsola presides over a legislature made up of 720 members. They come from 27 countries, are spread into eight political groups, and speak 24 different languages. Metsola, the youngest person to ever hold the position and only the second to be re-elected, made it clear that Europe stands ready to defend itself while working toward a vision of mutual successes and the core values shared by the European Union and the United States: freedom, justice, and democracy.
A commitment to free and fair trade
As trade tensions grow, Metsola highlighted the European Union’s commitment to free, open, and fair trade, arguing that only autocracies stand to gain from trade wars, which is why she prefers to engage in trade agreements rather than tariffs. As the new U.S. administration considers new tariffs, Metsola stressed that Europe was committed to defending its economic sovereignty.
“We are not out to screw anyone, and this win-win attitude will always be our preferred approach, whilst at the same time, we are readying for anything,” Metsola said. “Allow me to be clear: the European Union would react firmly and immediately against unjust barriers to free and fair trade, including when tariffs are used to challenge legal and non-discriminatory policies. We don’t want to go down that road—let me be clear—but we are ready.”
European strength
Metsola took aim at the perception of Europe as a “museum” with its best days behind it. Instead, she said, the continent remains a dynamic and forward-thinking region, well-equipped to face global challenges. She called Europe predictable, reliable, and maybe even boring, but added that the latter quality can also be an asset.
“In geopolitics, boring is not always a bad thing. Do not underestimate the value of boring,” Metsola said. “Do not underestimate Europe’s unity, resolve, strength, and willingness to act. Europe is not just the story of the past, but it is BMW, it is Volkswagen, it is Airbus Lufthansa, Mercedes, changing the way the world moves. It is Louis Vuitton, Ferrari, Hermes, Gucci, providing and proving that European quality never goes out of style. It is Ericsson, Siemens, SAP, and Spotify, Mistral, inventing, innovating, and pushing boundaries—employing thousands of people on this side of the Atlantic, too.”