“I would say that young people have more future in Europe than anywhere else in the world. Europe has a market of 450 million consumers, sufficient financial resources to fund all activities and enterprises that young people wish to develop, and a set of policies aimed at helping them grow and create value,” emphasized the European Commissioner for Financial Services, Savings, and Investment Union, Maria Luís Albuquerque.
Albuquerque made these remarks to Lusa at the conclusion of a conference that gathered approximately 250 young entrepreneurs from across Europe. She left a message of encouragement to the young attendees, challenging them to continue developing their ideas in Europe, assuring them that the European Commission “is working to provide the best conditions for these ideas to be developed and bear fruit” within the European space.
“Europe has, above all, the values that unite us and differentiate us from other regions of the world, making our life projects potentially much happier here than elsewhere,” she added.
The former Finance Minister noted the growing recognition of Europe’s values and resources compared to the past. “The interest Europe is now generating in other geographies, the closer ties we are witnessing towards Europe, demonstrates that we have immense unexplored potential, which, if we handle it well, will be for the benefit of the next generations,” she stated further.
When asked about the legislative elections in Portugal, scheduled for May 18, the European Commissioner expressed her hope for voter participation, refraining from additional comments as the Commission does not interfere in national election processes by definition. “In general terms, I always hope people participate in elections. Today, I conveyed this to a group of young people at a secondary school here in Braga. When asked what they can do for Europe, one of the foremost actions is to vote in the European elections. Therefore, it is a call for civic participation, which I always make,” she mentioned.
On her visit to Braga, as part of Europe’s Day celebrations, Maria Luís Albuquerque also participated in a debate with students at Escola Secundária Alberto Sampaio.
