Europe as an opportunity

We are living in times that, not long ago, we would have never even imagined. The most basic rules of international relations, those so well-established that we had even taken them for granted, seem to have short-circuited and threaten to blow the fuses of diplomacy.

The ultimate example of this heightened global tension is the tariff revolution heralded by the US administration. Although it remains to be seen whether its effective implementation and its potential consequences will ever materialize, it is important not to underestimate its high level of disruption, not only in the economic and commercial arenas (which they also are), but also in the equation that has governed the world we live in until now. A balance between values and interests that, despite its multiple crises, has been the usual terrain of relations between countries. Until now.

Today, everything seems susceptible to being dismantled or, at least, questioned by some. We are not just facing a tariff war, but a war of models, the consequences of which could be very serious. Disinformation, extremism, the breakdown of basic consensus such as participation in multilateral organizations that have promoted dialogue and international cooperation for decades... Our democratic quality, our values, our way of life may be at stake.

While some try to withdraw ever more inward, we must transform this situation into an opportunity to open up even further in Europe and the world and build new alliances that allow us to preserve and even export our model of coexistence, the one that best guarantees, for example, the defense of human rights. In Catalonia, we have already begun to do so, reinforcing our focus on South America and Asia and promoting joint projects with countries like Japan, but that is only the beginning. Paralysis is not an option.

The good news is that we are not facing a leap into the void. As Europeans, we face this change of cycle (and perhaps of paradigm) with the confidence of being assured by several lifelines, protective shields that have already begun to be deployed.

We must value the rapid reaction capacity demonstrated by the European Union, which, far from accepting the designs dictated on the other side of the Atlantic, has stood its ground and forced a process of negotiation on equal terms with the world's leading power, which also knows it has much to lose. However this dispute, neither desired nor desirable, ends, it has been a good opportunity to remember and remind ourselves that our ability to shape the global conversation also depends on the attitude with which we participate: when Europe speaks and acts with belief in itself, the world listens and reacts.

The European Union has stepped up and has done so not only motivated by external threats, but by the firm conviction that it must take the reins and find its place in the world, with its own projects, positions, and resources. The famous strategic autonomy, until now a matter reserved for academics or think tanks, has become a necessity. There is, therefore, a notable change in speed.

In our country, we have also reacted swiftly, with a battery of measures (Brussels plans, Catalonia Leads, We Respond...) that not only seek to mitigate the potential negative effects of the current scenario, but also to establish a commitment to the future: mobilizing resources and political will with the aim of building a more economically dynamic and politically influential country in the European Union. The commitment of the Government, with President Isla at the helm, and of all the citizens of Catalonia is resounding and non-negotiable. The Catalan presidency of the Four Engines for Europe are also a result of this desire to influence

An effort and involvement to contribute as much as possible to the processes of European construction that is being recognized by the authorities of the Union. Proof of this is that this very week—in which we celebrated Europe Day in a particularly significant context—some of them from the country.

Not only have we returned to Europe, but it has returned us to Catalonia, and we mutually recognize each other as part of the solution.