I would like to thank Governor Patsalides and the organisers for inviting me.

Cyprus’s Presidency comes at a pivotal moment for Europe. In a global environment defined by rapid change, strategic uncertainty and geopolitical tensions, the Presidency’s priority, “Autonomy through security and competitiveness”, captures Europe’s ambition to strengthen its independence by building a strong, innovative and competitive economy.

This is not a call for protectionism. It is a call to invest in Europe’s collective capacity to innovate and to compete globally.

The ECB, along with the euro area national central banks, stands ready to play its part in turning the concept of autonomy through security and competitiveness into practical actions and solutions.

We will focus on an area that is intrinsically linked…