Strasbourg - The first plenary session of the European Parliament under the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union opened in Strasbourg with President Nikos Christodoulides presenting his vision titled A More Autonomous Union: Secure, Competitive, Open and Values Driven. Addressing Members of the European Parliament, he framed the moment as a defining point for Europe and urged unity, resolve and deeper integration.
President Christodoulides described the Presidency as both an honour and a responsibility for the EU’s only member state under occupation. He emphasised that Europe faces a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape, from Russia’s aggression against Ukraine to instability in the Middle East, climate pressures and technological disruption.
He argued that Europe’s strength has always come from choosing cooperation over fragmentation and urged the Union to act decisively to protect its values and global role.
He then presented the Presidency’s five interconnected pillars.
Pillar One: Autonomy through Security, Defence and Readiness
President Christodoulides expanded on the need for a stronger European security architecture, arguing that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine has exposed vulnerabilities that Europe can no longer ignore. He emphasised that Cyprus, as a country still under occupation, understands the consequences of insecurity more than most.
"From our corner of the Union, as the Union’s last member state that is under occupation, it is absolutely clear what is at stake. Cyprus knows from its own experience what lack of security means", the President said.
He called for rapid implementation of the White Paper on the Future of European Defence and the Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030, stressing that Europe must be able to act independently when necessary. Strengthening the EU’s defence industrial base, improving military mobility and enhancing cooperation with NATO were presented as essential steps.
"We will stand firmly, unequivocally with Ukraine, while supporting international efforts for a peace that is viable and lasting, fully in line with the UN Charter and with full respect for Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Ukraine is fighting for the principle that force cannot redraw borders in Europe. And if that principle falls, Everything becomes Negotiable.
– whether in Ukraine, in Greenland, or anywhere else.
So we must build a stronger European Security Architecture. And we must do so with Urgency."
The President placed particular emphasis on maritime and water security, noting that in the Mediterranean and beyond, trade, energy routes and freedom of navigation depend on safe seas. He also highlighted the need to shield democracies from foreign interference, disinformation and hybrid threats, while treating migration management as a core component of security.
Pillar Two: Autonomy through Competitiveness
Christodoulides argued that Europe’s economic strength is inseparable from its strategic strength. He said the Union must become faster, simpler and smarter, with a regulatory environment that supports innovation and reduces burdens on small and medium sized enterprises.
He stressed the importance of completing and strengthening the Single Market, deepening capital markets and ensuring Europe can produce and scale the technologies of the future. The President warned that Europe cannot afford to lose its young talent to global competitors and must create conditions that encourage them to innovate at home.
Energy and digital autonomy were described as strategic imperatives. He called for diversified supply routes, predictable energy prices and modern infrastructure, saying the moment has come for a true Energy Union. Competitiveness, he added, must be inclusive, ensuring that island, peripheral and less connected regions are not left behind.
Pillar Three: An Independent Union Open to the World
The President described enlargement as the EU’s most powerful geopolitical tool, capable of anchoring peace, democracy and stability across the continent. He recalled Cyprus’s own accession in 2004 as a moment of profound hope and transformation, and said that European integration remains incomplete while Cyprus remains divided.
He urged the Union to maintain momentum on enlargement for Ukraine, Moldova, the Western Balkans and Turkey, insisting that credibility depends on delivering when partners deliver. Christodoulides also highlighted the strategic importance of the Southern Neighbourhood and the Gulf, pointing to the New Pact for the Mediterranean and initiatives such as the India Middle East Corridor.
He reaffirmed the importance of an open and sustainable EU trade policy, strengthening partnerships with countries such as the United Arab Emirates and India, and maintaining constructive engagement with the United States and the United Kingdom.
Pillar Four: A Union of Values that Leaves No One Behind
Christodoulides said the EU is not only a market or a currency but a promise that rights, democracy and the rule of law will be upheld. He stressed that this promise must be felt in the daily lives of citizens.
Affordable housing was identified as one of Europe’s most pressing social challenges, and the President committed to advancing the European Affordable Housing Plan. He placed children and young people at the centre of the Presidency’s social agenda, with priorities including tackling child poverty, improving access to early childhood education and protecting minors from online and offline threats.
He also underlined the importance of building a stronger Health Union, improving access to medical products, strengthening supply chains and enhancing cooperation between national health systems.
Pillar Five: A Multiannual Financial Framework that Matches Ambition
The President described the next Multiannual Financial Framework as the moment where priorities meet reality. He said the EU budget must support defence and security, competitiveness, sustainability, resilience and cohesion.
Christodoulides pledged constructive and transparent engagement with all institutions, including the European Parliament, to deliver a balanced and ambitious financial framework capable of meeting the Union’s long term needs.
The President ended by invoking Robert Schuman’s belief that Europe needs a soul, an ideal and the political will to serve that ideal. He insisted that Europe has all three and urged Member States and institutions to work together.
"We have what it takes," President Christodoulides concluded.