Before the informal meeting of the European Council in Brussels, she spoke about the priorities of European politics: migration, the economy and the common foreign and security policy.

Europe is under political and economic pressure around the globe – wars and conflicts are unfolding only a few hours flying time away from Europe, while European businesses are "no longer global leaders in all fields" said Chancellor Angela Merkel on Thursday in a government statement, before she left for Brussels where the European Council is coming together for an informal meeting.

If we are to keep up, "more than ever before we need European responses to the urgent questions of our time". In this spirit, the 27 EU member states, meeting on Friday in Brussels without the United Kingdom, will be discussing the future of Europe.

National responses to the European agenda

This is why it is "no coincidence" that the first chapter of the new coalition agreement is dedicated to Europe. This is "our national response to the European agenda." Europe has never before occupied such a prominent place in any German coalition agreement, declared Angela Merkel.

Germany, declared the Chancellor, will only do well in the long term if Europe does well. Three fields are particularly important in the vital "new start for Europe": migration, the economy and common foreign and security policy.

Before the draft coalition agreement hammered out by the CDU, CSU and SPD can be adopted, it must be approved by the SPD party members. The result of their vote is expected on 4 March 2018.

Migration – addressing the root causes of displacement

On the issue of migration, the Chancellor sees the focus on steadfastly addressing the root causes of displacement. Efforts to tackle the factors that move people to leave their homes must also embrace efforts to offer them genuine prospects of a better life in or near their homes. She pointed to the summit this week with the G5 Sahel states.

Before the start of the informal meeting of the European Council on Friday 23 February, an international summit on the Sahel Zone is to be held in Brussels, attended by the heads of government of the EU member states, high-ranking representatives of the G5 Sahel states (Burkina Faso, Niger, Mauritania, Mali and Chad), the African Union and the United Nations. The aim of the summit is to encourage international support for the Sahel states in the fields of security and development, as well as attracting additional funding.

Germany has played a very active part in cooperation with the Sahel states. Germany is, for instance, supporting the government of Niger in the fight against smugglers and human traffickers and is helping create prospects of jobs and education for the people inside the country.

Regarding negotiations on a common European asylum system, the Chancellor said that a system of this sort must be based on solidarity and robust enough to withstand crises, especially with respect to resettling refugees within the EU. She was confident, however, that it will prove possible to find a sustainable, solidarity-based solution "with tenacity and patience".

Creating a Digital Single Market

"Strengthening the competitiveness of the EU is a key task, especially in economically good times," declared Angela Merkel. Even if the economic situation is good – we must not rest on our laurels.

It is crucial to achieve swift progress on shaping the digital revolution, if we are to remain competitive at international level. "Our future prosperity depends on this." It is crucial to create the Digital Single Market, she continued, giving the examples of establishing digital infrastructure and research in the field of chips as well as artificial intelligence.

Regarding the further development of the Economic and Monetary Union, the Chancellor said that the Stability and Growth Pact is still "the compass that guides our actions". In Europe "liability and supervision must always go together".

Exercising foreign-policy weight

"We want to see Europe taking a coherent stance in external relations," said the Chancellor in the German Bundestag. One main factor in this is the more robust cooperation in the field of security and defence policy. She looked back to the launch of the Permanent Structured Cooperation in December 2017. Now, the first concrete projects under PESCO must be initiated, she said.

Angela Merkel stressed, "Our Bundeswehr is doing an excellent job with its international missions." She added, "Let me express my warmest thanks to our soldiers here at home and abroad!"

Angela Merkel called for an end to the debate over the defence spending agreed in NATO. "We must take care to ensure that we don’t find ourselves in an ambiguous role at international level." On one hand there are complaints about everything that does not work within the Bundeswehr. On the other hand Germany is "the only NATO member state" to question "what commitments of our own we have pledged regarding the spending target," she said. "That is not consistent and will not make for reliable allies."

Commenting on current events in Syria, the Chancellor said that this is "a massacre that must be condemned." But it also calls on us Europeans to engage to a greater extent at international level.

EU finances under review

The informal meeting of the European Council will also look at the EU’s multiannual financial framework as of 2021 – when the budget will for the first time have to do without the UK’s contribution. Here the Chancellor also sees an opportunity to review the overall finances of the EU. "We must hone our view to focus on the essentials," stressed the Chancellor.

""I want to see a Europe that can take action, a confident Europe committed to solidarity. We must be ready to strengthen Europe where European solutions are better than national or regional approaches." One example is the establishment of a European border and coastguard agency.

Europe-wide citizen dialogues

"We must promote the European vision, and explain it." That is why, at the informal meeting of the European Union, the Chancellor will be supporting the proposal of French President Emmanuel Macron, to put in place citizen dialogues in as many member states as possible.

The heads of state and government of the EU27 will come together in Brussels on Friday (23 February) for an informal meeting. They will be discussing the multiannual financial framework as of 2020. Also on the agenda: the composition of the European Parliament following the 2019 elections and the question of whether or not there should be transnational lead candidates.