Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is attending the European Council summit in Brussels on Thursday and Friday, where he will press EU leaders to address rising energy prices, strengthen European competitiveness and protect funding for cohesion and agriculture.
The October summit comes at a critical time for Europe, as leaders confront multiple challenges, including a renewed energy crisis, inflation, the competitiveness of the European economy, negotiations over the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and the latest developments in Ukraine.
Mitsotakis is expected to argue that the EU must prioritise reducing energy prices and explore targeted, temporary support for households and businesses, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, ahead of a difficult winter.
According to information ahead of the summit, he will stress that governments must provide relief while preserving fiscal stability and sustainability as financial markets remain nervous.
The Greek prime minister is also expected to reiterate the importance of completing the European Energy Market and strengthening cross-border energy interconnections. However, he will argue that the current crisis also demands additional medium-term measures.
Mitsotakis is expected to describe the green transition as a long-term objective and call on Europe to reassess its approach to energy security and adjust its policies accordingly.
Climate policy took shape during a period of relatively low energy costs, according to the report. Mitsotakis will therefore urge European leaders to consider whether the continent can sustain high energy costs for industry, finance the green transition and maintain fiscal stability simultaneously amid high inflation.
Mitsotakis highlights Europe’s competitiveness gap
On competitiveness and regulatory simplification, Mitsotakis will argue that the renewed energy crisis has exposed the weaknesses of the European economy’s competitive position and reinforced the need to reduce the EU’s critical dependencies.
He will press for the implementation of the Letta and Draghi reports and is expected to criticise the limited progress on legislative simplification and the proposed “28th regime”, which aims to establish a common framework for businesses operating across the EU.
Greece rejects cuts to cohesion and agricultural funding
Negotiations over the EU’s next Multiannual Financial Framework are continuing on the basis of a revised negotiating box prepared by the Irish Presidency.
Greece has made its position clear: the EU cannot pursue greater ambitions with fewer resources. Athens wants an ambitious European budget that addresses emerging priorities, including defence, security, research and innovation, without diverting funding from cohesion policy or the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
Greece will not accept further cuts to these areas. However, it remains open to discussions on a new package of EU own resources, having already submitted relevant proposals.
Athens insists that any new funding arrangements must distribute the financial burden fairly and avoid placing a disproportionate strain on less-developed economies.
Greece supports enlargement based on candidate countries’ progress
On EU enlargement, Greece maintains that admitting new members represents a strategic investment in European security and stability. However, Athens argues that the process must depend on the progress and performance of the candidate countries themselves.
Greece opposes changing the EU’s decision-making procedures and considers internal EU reforms and enlargement to be separate processes that should not form part of a single package.
Athens also believes the European Commission’s proposal requires careful examination rather than rushed decisions.
Migration and external border protection
Greece has been among the first EU member states to emphasise the importance of protecting the bloc’s external borders.
Athens has also welcomed the European Commission’s support for its proposal to establish a European mechanism for managing emergencies involving mass migration or the instrumentalisation of migratory pressure.
The Greek government points to the events at the Evros border in 2020 as an example of the type of situation such a mechanism should address.
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