#Estonia shows us our digital future

“Europe can learn a lot from Estonia’s spirit,” Weber said. “Estonia is geographically small, but it is more innovative than most of us, and with leaders like our colleague Tunne Kelam, has contributed greatly to building the Europe that earlier generations could only dream of.”

After Soviet Union oppression came freedom, self-determination and a convincing choice for Europe.

“In times of President Putin, Estonia needs a strong Europe. And in times of President Trump, Estonia also needs a self-confident Europe which cares about security. In the same way as Europe sticks to NATO, we also have to strengthen our EU Defence Union. In the end, the security guarantee for the Baltic states is a fundamental European responsibility," Weber stated.

Estonia’s contribution to our security agenda is impressive and crucial for us all.

“Few countries have experience with digital warfare like Estonia. They endured a huge cyberattack from Russia in 2007 and are now leading experts on cybersecurity. For the EPP Group, Estonia is the seed from which a European cyber brigade will grow. Digital warfare is a reality and Estonia shows us we need to do better.”

In the upcoming years, digital innovations will not only reshape classical industries, but also affect every aspect of our daily lives.

“Our future will be digital, but it should be strongly rooted in our values and our social market economy. And it has to be fair and accessible to all Europeans. That is why we believe the EU should guarantee broadband access in every region of Europe.”