On 7 November 2024, Liechtenstein participated at the meeting of the European Political Community in Budapest. 44 Heads of State/Government as well as the Presidents of the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of the EU, the Secretary Generals from NATO and the Council of Europe as well as the OSCE took place part in the exchanges foremost focusing on the security challenges in Europe, followed by roundtables on either economic security or migration.
Ambassador Schafhauser had the honor of accompanying Liechtenstein’s Prime Minister Daniel Risch to the meeting. Prime Minister Risch joined the roundtable on economic security, together with EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, French President Macron, Swiss Federal President Amherd, the President of Kosovo and the President of Lithuania, as well as his counterparts from Finland, Luxembourg, Montenegro, Belgium and Monaco and Norway, who chaired the discussion. Prime Minister Risch stressed the importance of the "European Political Community" as an open exchange platform at European-level, called for deepening economic cooperation among "Team Europe", which competes with other parts of the world and where each country can contribute with its strengths.
For Prime Minister Risch, it was the fifth and last time to join this informal European-level exchange. The EPC meetings offer uncomplicated and informal access to his counterparts and good opportunities to position Liechtenstein and address current issues with them.
Did you know that in his address to the European Parliament in May, 2022, French President Emmanuel Macron proposed the creation of the European Political Community as "a new European organization"? Today, it is an alliance of European states within and outside the EU that meets every six months. The first meeting took place in Prague in October 2022. This was followed by meetings in Moldova, Spain and England. The next summit is scheduled to take place in Albania in spring 2025.
The media release can be found here (in German).