BROSETA has opened the EU-BROSETA Cycle, a periodic series of meetings whose objective, in the hands of recognised and prestigious speakers, is to reflect on the main questions of interest in the area of the European Union in a context of enormous challenges.

With the academic direction of Susana del Río, an expert in the European Union and a member of several Committees of the European Parliament, the EU-BROSETA Cycle has seen the participation of Josep Piqué Camps, ex Minister of the Spanish Government between 1996 and 2003 and a manager with an extensive professional career in outstanding organisations in the private sector.

Manuel Broseta, President of the Firm, presented the session and introduced Josep Piqué’s speech, highlighting the transcendental role of the European Union in the current context, and BROSETA’s intention, “as a constitutionalist and Europeanist organisation, to remain close to these debates, and contribute as much as possible to the growth of society and companies from a perspective of integration and shared effort”.

Next, Susana del Río spoke about the objectives of the Cycle and the absolute importance of the community institutions as supranational organisations, pointing out, among other issues, how BROSETA “can and should lead the European debate”.

For his part, Josep Piqué‘s presentation dealt with the evolution of the great world powers over the last 100 years and international relations in the different geopolitical contexts, with special emphasis on the European Union.

With respect to the current situation, the ex-Minister focused on the complexity of relations between the United States and China, “which, as we are seeing, are moving away from a trade conflict towards a digital struggle in which the control of technology is the key issue”. In relation to Russia, Josep Piqué highlighted how it is a country that “has recovered its history after the debacle of the Soviet Union, and has resumed its foreign policy of expanding areas of influence and security”. Focusing his analysis on the European Union, Piqué reflected on some of the current shortcomings of the institution and the need to correct them in order “not to fall into irrelevance”. Thus, the speaker defended, among other aspects, the need to deepen the political project of the Union, to orient the strategy for the future towards digitalisation and to maintain a greater attitude of audacity, “something in which other powers have a great advantage”.

To conclude, Josep Piqué called on Civil Society, urging it to lead the debate and generate initiatives for the promotion and progress of the European Union and Europe.