Building resilience at Europe's frontier
On 11 and 12 June, Commissioner Serafin will travel to Latvia. Located on the Union's eastern border, Latvia plays a vital role in strengthening Europe's security while driving forward innovation and the green transition.
The visit takes place as discussions on the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) gather pace. Through dialogue with political leaders and innovators, the Commissioner will discuss how the future EU budget can continue to support Europe's strategic priorities while delivering tangible benefits for citizens and businesses across Latvia and the European Union.
STOP 1: Driving innovation in wind energy (11 June)
Commissioner Serafin’s visit will start with a visit of Aerones Engineering, a Latvian technology company that has established itself a world-leading provider of robot-enabled wind turbine maintenance and inspections service provider. Their success has been supported by the EU budget, as the company received a €4.4M grant in 2024 from the EU’s Innovation Fund. This visit will highlight how innovation developed in Latvia is helping shape the future of Europe's clean energy sector.
The company's success demonstrates how EU support for research and innovation can help European businesses scale up and bring new technologies to market. By improving the efficiency and reliability of renewable energy infrastructure, Aerones contributes to Europe's energy security, industrial competitiveness, and climate objectives.
The visit also offers an example of how EU funding can support innovative ecosystems across the Union and turn early-stage ideas into commercially viable technologies.
STOP 2: Dialogue on Europe’s future (12 June)
The next day, Commissioner Serafin will go to the Saeima, Latvia's Parliament, to meet members of the European Affairs Committee and the Budget and Finance Committee to discuss, among other topics, the European Commission's proposal for the next long-term EU budget (Multiannual Financial Framework).
The Commissioner will present the rationale behind the proposal for the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and exchange views with parliamentarians on how the EU budget can best respond to Europe's challenges and ambitions. The session will provide a transparent forum for debate, allowing Members to raise questions, share perspectives and contribute to the conversation on Europe's long-term priorities.
The exchange is part of the ongoing dialogue between EU institutions and national parliaments as negotiations on the next MFF continue, with the aim of helping build a broad agreement on Europe’s future budget.
STOP 3: Europe's Eastern Shield (12 June)
Later in the day, Commissioner Serafin will meet Foreign Minister Baiba Braže to discuss the geopolitical challenges facing Europe and the role of the EU budget in supporting the Union's strategic objectives.
Their discussions will focus on issues of particular importance to Latvia, including continued support for Ukraine, regional security, resilience against external threats and the need for a strong and united European response to an increasingly uncertain global environment.
STOP 4: Discussing Common Path (12 June)
To finish this country visit, the Commissioner will meet Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs to discuss Latvia's priorities ahead of the June European Council, focusing on the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
The discussion will focus on how the future EU budget can support investments in security, competitiveness, innovation, and infrastructure, while maintaining enough flexibility to respond to emerging challenges. It will also touch on ways to strengthen Europe’s resilience and support sustainable growth, with tangible benefits for citizens in Latvia and across the EU.
