Portrait of Thierry Breton
Politician · organisation
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Thierry Breton on European Union

Sovereignty advocate (strong)

TL;DR

Thierry Breton strongly advocates for a united, resilient, and sovereign European Union capable of defending its own industrial and geopolitical interests.

Key Points

  • He co-authored an op-ed in June 2020 arguing for a more resilient and autonomous Europe with a 'hard power' dimension.

  • As Commissioner, he oversaw the production of COVID-19 vaccines and pushed for European industrial capacity in key technologies.

  • He stated that the EU-U.S. partnership must evolve into an alliance on technology, raw materials, and big tech, while ensuring a 'true and respected balance of power' between the two.

Summary

Thierry Breton, as a former European Commissioner, has consistently positioned himself as a champion for a stronger, more autonomous European Union capable of acting as a global power. He emphasizes that Europe must move beyond a reliance on mere 'soft power' to develop a 'hard power' dimension, especially in defense and industry, to navigate a world of geopolitical competition, citing the need for solidarity across member states to achieve this.

This push for European leadership is evident in his focus on securing digital and industrial sovereignty, particularly in response to global supply chain vulnerabilities and the digital dominance of non-European actors. He views the crises, like the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as accelerators that have highlighted the necessity for collective action, such as mutualizing resources and strengthening common capabilities, to secure Europe's future.

Key Quotes

Virtuous "soft power" is no longer enough in today's world. We need to complement it with a "hard power" dimension, and not just in terms of military power and the badly needed Europe of defence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Thierry Breton's main focus is ensuring the European Union achieves greater autonomy and sovereignty, particularly in the digital and industrial spheres. He sees the EU as needing to be a stronger global player capable of defending its own interests and values.

He believes that a stronger European pillar within NATO is essential, meaning member states must increase defense spending and coordinate efforts to strengthen common and interoperable defense capabilities. He sees a stronger Europe as directly contributing to a stronger NATO.

Thierry Breton strongly supported the implementation of legislation like the Digital Services Act and Digital Markets Act to regulate large online platforms and protect EU citizens and fair competition. He sees this as correcting the lack of regulation that occurred during the initial rise of social media.