Our priorities | EPP Group in the European Parliament

The world is in a phase of deep change: digitalisation, globalisation, migration, demographic development, new security challenges. Those changes have impacted Europe as well, to the point that the very European project is being challenged both from without and from within. The bar by which the European Union will be measured will be its ability to meet those challenges and improve people's daily lives. We have made extraordinary progress on issues that matter to Europeans: securing our borders, fighting terrorism, boosting investment and job creation. But we need to remain ambitious – and we will.

A fair deal for Europe

The European way of life faces new challenges: competition based on low social and environmental standards in third countries, evolutions in the way we work brought about by digital developments, tax dodging practices. The Social Market Economy is still the best placed to respond to these.

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Affordable energy and the fight against climate change

Europe has played a leading role in the fight against climate change. We must not lose momentum. We need to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring the competitiveness of our companies and invest in renewable energy sources.

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EU defence

With the emergence of hybrid warfare, cyber attacks, new forms of terrorism and the proliferation of nuclear weapons, Europe is facing its biggest threat since the Cold War. Europe needs to grow up and stop counting on the US for its own security.

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Free and fair trade

1 in 7 EU jobs depends on trade with the outside world. We are strongly committed to an open, multilateral system of free and fair trade, to alleviate poverty and create opportunities for Europeans.

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Helping small business to thrive

SMEs drive our economy, creating jobs and bringing new products and services to market. We want to ensure EU legislation does not put obstacles in their way and that they get the financing they need to 'start up' and scale up.

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Innovation

Europe must again become a leader in innovation, and in the digital revolution that is already transforming our industries and our households. But the European model of innovation must be about people making ideas work for people. It must be based on values, not algorithms or authoritarian decree.

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Investment for more jobs

Our efforts to fight the economic crisis through sound public finances and structural reforms have worked. Now we need to invest in the job creation, removing obstacles to the Single Market, reforming banks and ensuring a stable euro.

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Opportunities for young Europeans

We want to empower the young entrepreneurs of the future, investing in education programmes that will teach them the skills they need in an evolving labour market and removing obstacles to bringing new innovative ideas to market.

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People at the heart of the digital economy

Conscious of its potential for growth and job creation, we are leading efforts to create an environment in which the digital economy can thrive, deliver broader choice to consumers and promote social inclusion.

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Secure borders

Passport-free travel within the EU can only be guaranteed if we know who is crossing our external borders at all times. We have led EU efforts in securing our external borders so that Europeans continue to enjoy the freedoms to which they are accustomed.

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Support for our farmers

We are committed to strengthening a sustainable, competitive and fair CAP so that our farmers can continue producing high-quality food in fair conditions and so that we can preserve our unique rural areas.

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The fight against terrorism

We were the first political force to understand the urgency of beefing up Europe’s security infrastructure, working both to put in place measures to prevent terrorist attacks and encourage integration, fighting radicalisation.

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