On 1st October 2019, Jutta URPILAINEN, from Finland, Commissioner-designate for International Partnerships, is heard by the Committee on Development (DEVE) of the European Parliament in Brussels to test her general competences, European commitment and specific expertise related to her portfolio. On this occasion, Jutta URPILAINEN has the opportunity to make an opening statement. The following transcription is the result of an automatic process. Check Against delivery.

Brussels

Committee on Development

hearing

hearing of Commissioners

URPILAINEN, Jutta (FI, EC)

2019 Commissioners' hearings (T)

hearing of Jutta URPILAINEN 2019 (T)

Hearing of Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Opening statement by Jutta URPILAINEN

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Honourable Chair, honourable Members of the European Parliament, Ladies and gentlemen. It is a great honour and pleasure to be here with you as Commissioner-designate. In the following, I want to tell you who I am, what my goals are and how I think we can achieve these goals together.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: I have to admit that I never imagined that I would be here on this bench when I campaigned for Finnish membership of the European Union at the age of 19. Neither when I participated in the board meetings of the European social democratic youth. Or when I co-chair, co-founded and chaired a pro-European youth organisation in Finland. Neither when I did my Erasmus exchange in Vienna and studied music with my fellow Europeans.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Yet it was during those times when I developed my strong European identity. Yet it was during those times that I developed my strong belief that European integration is good for Europe and good for the world. Yet it is my European identity and my believe in integration that have guided me to this date from my political life as a parliamentarian Minister of Finance and Deputy Prime Minister to my life as a mother and a work in a civil society and my recent role as a special representative on peace mediation.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Yet it is my European identity and my belief in an ever closer union that have led me to this moment where with your approval and consent I hope to become a member of the College of European Commissioners. So dear members of the European parliament you can believe me that I sit here in front of you inspired. But also humble. Humble as a true believer in representative democracy.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Dear European members of the European Parliament's, nature trends reshape our world and are impacting us all. Climate change, digitalization, migration and mobility and inequalities to name but a few. Having served in civil society organizations as well as in parliamentary governmental work on foreign and development issues I am committed to fighting inequality. Support in least developed countries and promoting sustainable development.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: As Deputy Prime Minister, I volunteered to chair the National Commission for Sustainable Development. I found it extremely important to bring together different ministries and stakeholders. It is only together that we can really achieve important goals. Now the president elect has chosen the same way to proceed. In the mission letters she has stated that the college as a whole is responsible for the delivery of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: I am proud of this holistic approach and I intend to support fully this shared exercise in both internal and external policies. I am convinced that the Agenda 2030 is a golden opportunity for Europe. The European Commissioner for International Partnerships delivers on the implementation of SDGs in the world.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: My ambition is to eradicate poverty through international cooperation and development support. Our global responsibility is this is set out in the treaties and aligns with our values of human rights and human dignity. My ambition is to do it in a strategic and effective manner ensuring it evolves with new global realities. Delivering on SDGs serves also our EU interests. We are talking about the sustainability of our planet. We are talking about human insecurity driving people to conflicts and forced migration.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Mr. Chairman and honourable members, before I entered politics I worked as a teacher so education is close to my heart a sustainable inclusive and equal world cannot be built without quality education for all. Education can help us cope with some of today's and tomorrow's challenges and make our trends. Think about the power of education to change behaviours on the environment or climate change or the role of education in preparing future labour markets for the digital age.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: My commitment to the 20 percent target for human development in the new financing instrument is therefore clear. There are different kind of needs. Fragile areas didn't definitely need our attention. So dash for example basic education early childhood education and education of young girls. And this brings me to a more personal point. It is my conviction that educating and empowering women and girls is the precondition for creating truly inclusive societies.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: I know I know what it means to break glass ceilings as the first female chairman of the Social Democratic Party of Finland, as my country's first ever female Commissioner-designate. So let me assure you today of my deep commitment to prioritizing gender equality and mainstreaming it in all our policies and programs. So I will focus onv SDGs, fighting inequality and poverty eradication. But how.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: We need to design based on priorities modern counter strategies and modern regional strategies that will contribute to delivering the Sustainable Development Goals. Such initiatives need the right funding. By finalizing negotiations on the Multi-annual Financial Framework we can show partners that we are serious about improving the lives of people.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: And I intend to work with you and others to facilitate an agreement on the Neighbourhood Development and International Cooperation instrument. In today's world, traditional measures of aid delivery are not enough. They are not enough to meet the SDGs. They are not enough to forge the kind of partnerships that are fit for the new global realities.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: As a European commissioner I will commit to using our assistance also for leveraging more domestic revenue and more private sector capital. 21st century development policy has to harness all instruments to generate more investments jobs better regulation and improved governance. This includes using the fullest potential of our external investment. I see the modernized title international partnerships as a big opportunity.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: It reflects our focus on multilateralism and cooperation as equal partners. The EU working on its own cannot save the planet and prepare for the future. It will have to be done together by the EU and our partners working hand in hand. The EU will be the guardian of multilateralism and the rules based order.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: The combined assistant capacity of the EU and its Member States needs to be used coherently to promote our values and objectives. Both on the ground in partner countries but also in international financial institutions. Back in 2015 when the global community moved from the Millenium Development Goals to the Sustainable Development Goals, it aponded the formula of North Salt donor recipient developed developing.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Instead the global community set out a universal ambitious and far reaching blueprint agreed by all and for all. As a European Commissioner I would make sure that the EU is a reliable and solid ally for partner countries in the SDGs journeys. Strong international partnerships with Africa, Latin America, Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific can help us to take on many of today's major generational issues.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Also such comprehensive partnerships will help us to unlock opportunities and to address challenges linked to migration management together. If confirmed as commissioner it is my intention to build on the EU Africa Alliance for sustainable investment and jobs towards a comprehensive European strategy for Africa. In this effort I will work alongside the Europe the High Representative and Vice president and other fellow commissioners.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: The partnership with our neighbouring continent has deepened it economically for the benefit of both African and European citizens. With the private sector involved in creating jobs and providing new skills. I want to continue on this path, deepening our mutual interests and our capacity to reap opportunities jointly.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: We must turn our backs on the old narrative of Africa as a continent of instability and poverty. Instead we need instead we have to welcome with open arms. Africa as a young continent of hope and prosperity. I will also make it my priority to conclude negotiations on the positive Cotonou Agreement. We need to complete a modern strategy and influential alliance between the EU and African Caribbean and Pacific states on the international stage, one that serves our common interests and all our people.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: And let me assure you today that I will not waiver in my commitment to do the appropriate parliamentary dimension of this future partnership.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Dear colleagues, the European Union draws its strength from all its institutions. So I want to emphasize my commitment to working with other institutions towards the same objective. We will cement the EU as a world leader in international cooperation and development support. As a parliamentarian I truly believe in representative democracy and I will do my utmost to make the special relationship between the Commission and the European Parliament ever stronger and deeper.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: I am here to listen to you. I value your experience knowledge and views. I will work closely with the High representative Vice President in making Europe as an influential global player. In the spirit of a geopolitical Commission as announced by the President-elect, I also intent cooperating closely with other Commissioners whose policy areas affect EU external action.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: And I will continue driving work with Member states on joint analyses, joint programming and joint implementation as well as on achieving the official development assistance target of 0.7 % of gross national income. The civil society organizations are perhaps our greatest allies and must be at the heart of the European Union's work on International Co-operation and Development. It is in everyone's interest to involve them as much as possible in policy making and the design and implementation of our programs.

SOUNDBITE (Original), Jutta URPILAINEN, Commissioner-designate, International Partnerships: Honourable chair dear colleagues. We need politics for our planet, for humankind. European citizens are expecting us to act. The youth. They want more. Our children deserve that we do our best. I want to build trust together with you trust that our partners see a strong EU delivering SDGs and fighting poverty. Trust that our citizens understand the reasoning and results of our development and cooperation work. Trust between people and institutions because a more equal world is achieved only together. So now it is time for me to listen to you and try to answer your questions. Thank you.