The vice president of the Group of the European People's Party (PPE) in the European Parliament, Esteban González Pons, said today that "Brexit management must be the main priority of the European Union (EU) in the short term."

González Pons has represented the European People's Group, the largest political group in the European Parliament, in the meeting that the leaders of the political forces of this chamber have held in Helsinki with Finnish Prime Minister Antti Rinne and with the ministers of his government to prepare the current rotating presidency of the EU, which the Nordic country will hold until the end of this year.

The leaders of the European Parliament have also met with the main spokesmen and representatives of the Finnish Parliament.

In his interventions, González Pons recalled that "the way in which Brexit is produced will mark the course of the EU in the short and medium term", so he has defended the need to avoid a Brexit without agreement.

The vice president of the PPE Group has also stressed that other important priorities of the Finnish presidency for these coming months may be the management of illegal immigration, to try to move towards a common European policy, and the negotiation of community budgets for the period 2021- 2027

González Pons has also pointed out as other issues that should be emphasized in the fight against climate change, the improvement of the competitiveness of the EU – taking into account the threat of a global trade war – security, or reinforcement of the rule of law within the EU.

In addition, he recalled that all these challenges must be managed while the European Commission changes, as the next community executive to be chaired by Úrsula Von der Leyen will begin his term on November 1.

González Pons has guaranteed the cooperation of the PPE Group with the EU institutions to face all these challenges in the coming months.




Source of new