European Council president Antonio Costa to visit Romania as part of EU tour

European Council president Antonio Costa will visit Romania on September 4 as part of his “Tour des Capitales,” a series of meetings with EU leaders aimed at shaping the bloc’s agenda ahead of key European summits later this year.

According to the official announcement, Costa is set to hold talks in Bucharest with Romanian president Nicușor Dan.

The visit comes as part of a broader tour between September 1 and 19 during which Costa will meet most heads of state or government across the European Union. His stop in Romania will be preceded by meetings with leaders in Slovenia, Croatia, and Austria, and followed by visits to Bulgaria, Czechia, and the Netherlands.

“Over the next three weeks, I’ll be travelling across Europe, meeting EU leaders in their capitals. These conversations will help shape our common agenda for the months ahead. As president of the European Council, it is my duty to listen and to understand the priorities of all leaders - especially in these uncertain times. My role is to build consensus. With every visit, I’ll work to reinforce our cooperation, because in today’s unpredictable world, our unity is our greatest strength,” said Antonio Costa, president of the European Council.

By the end of the year, Antonio Costa will chair two formal European Councils, in October and December, and represent the EU at high-level international gatherings, including the EU-CELAC Summit in Colombia and the EU-African Union Summit in Angola.

European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen will also be in Romania on September 1 as part of a multi-country tour of the EU’s eastern frontline states, with a focus on strengthening solidarity and defence in the face of growing security challenges from Russia and Belarus. She is scheduled to meet Romanian president Nicușor Dan and prime minister Ilie Bolojan before travelling to the Black Sea port city of Constanța.

(Photo source: Consilium.europa.eu)