// LEADERS' VIEWS ANTÓNIO COSTA, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COUNCIL Europe’s choice: Multilateralism over chaos T he world faces a crucial choice. Do we want a rules-based international order, that upholds that affects our present and will affect our future. The destruction and deaths caused by fires, floods and hurricanes are not inventions. They are very much a reality. Furthermore, investing in
are taking the lead in global solidarity, and will continue to do so, even in these times when the UN system is facing major financial constraints. Finally, we need to make progress on reforming the international financial architecture for debt management. We must ensure that it is fairer, more inclusive, and geared towards tackling today’s challenges. It must also help us to close the gap in development financing along the path set by the ‘Seville Commitment’. The European Union is a global partner … That is why we are building stronger trade and industrial partnerships across the globe. We are advancing deals with Mercosur, Mexico, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand. Not just to boost trade, but to increase global predictability and resilience. A trade and investment agenda based on fairness, sustainability, digital innovation, labour rights, and climate alignment. Because trade deals – not tariffs – deliver real benefits for all countries, companies, and citizens. In a multipolar and fragmented world, we are building a powerful global network of partnerships. With Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, the United States and Canada, the Arab world, Asia, and the Pacific, as well as with our European neighbours. In today’s multipolar world, there is no Global South or Global North. Both are plural. The European Union will continue to work with all partners in a spirit of global solidarity and meaningful partnership. Because multipolarity needs an effective multilateralist system. A rules-based international order under the United Nations Charter. This commitment stems from our own history. Europe rebuilt itself from the ashes of World War Two through peace, through reconciliation, and through integration. We know these principles work – because they worked for us. Address to the United Nations General Assembly, 25 September 2025
multilateralism and the United Nations Charter? Or a chaotic world based on unilateralism, violence, and disruption? The European Union knows where it stands. We are a project of peace, of reconciliation, of social justice. We are – and will remain – a steadfast defender of multilateralism, of the rules-based international order, and of the United Nations Charter. The alternative to the international rules-based international order is a chaotic and violent world. As seen in Sudan, an underreported and devastating conflict with destruction of huge proportions. As seen in Gaza. As seen in Ukraine… The European Union is determined to build a world based on the fundamental values that we share with the United Nations: peace, human rights and sustainable development. Human rights are the foundation for global peace and stability. Social protection, decent work, gender equality and the fight against poverty are not optional. They are the guarantees of human dignity. Of social stability. Of lasting peace among nations. The European Union defends freedom, democracy and human rights. Values that today are being threatened by disinformation and the misuse of digital technologies. We need global standards, transparency, and mechanisms for accountability that are as dynamic as the technologies we are dealing with. In order to ensure that digital technologies empower citizens – not autocrats, or new tech oligarchs. The European Union stands for a human-centred approach to artificial intelligence. We are at the forefront of the first comprehensive regulatory framework for responsible artificial intelligence. And we call for an equivalent level of ambition at the international level. By drawing on our fundamental values: dignity, democracy, and the rule of law. Climate change is a scientifically proven reality
decarbonisation is key to each country’s energy sovereignty, to innovation, and to the competitiveness of our economies. The European Union is therefore fully committed to the Paris Agreement, with its commitments to reduce emissions by 55% by 2030 and to achieve climate neutrality by 2050… Sustainable development also means building alliances, not dependencies. We are at the forefront in the fight against climate change. Through the Global Gateway programme, the European Union is mobilising €300 billion by 2027 in sustainability and connectivity investments throughout the world. This will make a decisive contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. Furthermore, the European Union, together with its member states, provides 42% of global development aid. We are the leading donors to the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the UN Development Programme. We
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