EU leaders vow to defend 'one Europe', uphold rules-based int'l order

BUCHAREST -- The leaders of the European Union (EU) member states on Thursday agreed on defending "one Europe" and upholding the rules-based international order in their "10 commitments" declaration, made at an informal summit in Sibiu, central Romania.

"We reaffirm our belief that united, we are stronger in this increasingly unsettled and challenging world," the leaders said in the declaration, stressing that Europe will be a responsible global leader and will continue working with its partners in the world to uphold and develop the rules-based international order, to make the most of new trading opportunities and to jointly tackle global issues such as preserving the environment and fighting climate change.

According to the declaration, the leaders said that Europe is going to show each other solidarity in times of need, to speak with one voice, to look for joint solutions and to continue to protect the way of life, democracy and the rule of law.

"We will deliver where it matters most...We will always uphold the principle of fairness, whether it be in the labor market, in welfare, in the economy or in the digital transformation... We will provide the Union with the means necessary to attain its objectives and carry through its policies," they said.

"We will invest in young people and build a Union fit for the future, able to cope with the most pressing challenges of the 21st century," the leaders said in the declaration.

They stressed that the 10 commitments will help the EU leaders live up to the responsibility "to make our Union stronger and our future brighter."

The EU leaders are gathering in an informal summit under the Romanian rotating presidency to discuss the future EU Strategic Agenda for 2019-2024, while the "Sibiu Declaration" adopted on this occasion aims to send a message of unity and confidence in the European actions.