Jourová: EU must address security, competitiveness and enlargement

The new EU leadership will have to deal with security and defence, as well as with its own competitiveness and enlargement, European Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová said at a conference at the Liechtenstein Palace in Prague on Thursday.

The Czech EU Commissioner for Values and Transparency, who will not seek another mandate, called for continued military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine as well as support for its refugees and said it was essential to maintain close cooperation with NATO.

Mrs. Jourová also said Europe would benefit from more innovations and fewer regulations. The challenge is to reduce dependence on energy sources from Russia, but also on other less reliable partners, she said.