Catalan Minister Jaume Duch highlights European values as a shield against current global threats during a meeting at UPF-BSM.

Jaume Duch, Minister for European Union and Foreign Action of the Government of Catalonia, defended the European values of “democracy, the rule of law, multilateralism, human rights, and peaceful relations between states” during his speech at the Leaders UPF-BSM event, held today at the business school’s headquarters.

The minister emphasized that since he joined the Government, “the rules that helped us understand how the world worked until now have been disappearing, and fundamental pillars that have guided us since the end of the Second World War are being questioned.” Duch stressed that the only possible response to this situation is Europe. “If Europe fails us, we would find ourselves in a very difficult situation.”

Duch underscored the importance of achieving greater independence for the EU from the rest of the world within a maximum period of 3–5 years. “It is important to gain autonomy in areas such as security and defense, access to energy, and to avoid depending on decisions made by the United States, China, or India.” In this regard, the minister highlighted the need to modernize the EU’s technological industry, particularly that with civilian applications, as it can be leveraged, when necessary, in security and defense.

Finally, regarding relations with the United States and the changing rules of international trade, Duch noted that “if things become complicated in the U.S., we will try to strengthen our presence in other parts of the planet, such as Asia and Latin America—and we are already doing so. But we must not forget the European internal market, where we have the greatest growth potential. This requires removing internal market barriers and allowing the free movement of goods.”

The event, which featured the participation of José M. Martínez-Sierra, director general of UPF-BSM, and was moderated by Toni Aira, director of the School’s Department of Management, Law, Society, and Humanities, brought together students from various UPF-BSM programs.

The session is part of the Leaders at UPF-BSM series, which brings prominent institutional, economic, and social figures to the school to reflect on the leadership challenges of the 21st century.