“I am pleased to attend the first Council video meeting next week to engage in a discussion with my colleagues from other Member States on ways we can work together to better tackle the health crisis, in particular on the availability of vaccines and new strains of the virus. Uniform and strong cooperation between the Member States is very important to ensure that we can overcome this virus together,” Kallas emphasised. “As such, EU-wide procurement of vaccines and their timely delivery are vital for Estonia,” said the prime minister.
Kallas and Michel also spoke about the possibilities of assisting the Eastern Partnership countries in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, including vaccination, and considered important for the EU to support them.
The prime minister and the president of the European Council also discussed the development of the digital internal market and the cross-border movement of data. “We need to create an environment for our companies where they can grow freely, operate more easily, and adopt new technologies,” said Kallas, stressing the importance of free cross-border movement of data as well as privacy as a human right.
According to Prime Minister Kallas, addressing climate issues is a considerable priority for the Estonian government. “For Estonia, this means, above all, the transition of our energy sector from fossil fuels, which must take place wisely, fairly, and taking the impact of the changes on people into account,” said Kallas.
The prime minister also emphasised the development of using wind energy in the Baltic Sea and the Rail Baltica project in terms of creating a better connection with Europe, as well as achieving climate goals.
They also focused on the European Union’s global role and relations with the USA, China, and Russia. “It is important that the European Union stands up for its values and interests in international cooperation. The united voice of 27 countries has more impact,” said Kallas.
A video meeting of the European Council will take place next Thursday and Friday. On the first day, the heads of state and government of the Member States will discuss the resolution of the COVID-19 health crisis, including the spread of new strains and vaccination. They will also talk about the EU’s role in the wider field of health. On the second day, 26 February, they will focus on the EU’s security and defence policy and Europe’s Southern Neighbourhood.
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