Vasconcelos Quotes & Sayings

Tunisia is extremely dependent on economic conditions in Europe, which is why it also experienced shockwaves from the euro crisis. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos

It's wrong to focus only on economic cooperation and then to hope that a sufficiently stable system will become democratic more or less by itself. The EU needs to urge its neighbors to pursue both economic stability and political modernization in equal measures. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos

Of course former colonial powers are always more present and influential. They're the ones who need to defend the EU's values on the frontlines. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos

Political Islam is not a homogeneous bloc. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos

When it comes to France, it seems to me the fundamental question is how a former colonial power should interact with its former colony. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos

In the eighties and nineties, the innovation agenda was exclusively focused on enterprises. There was a time in which economic and social issues were seen as separate. Economy was producing wealth, society was spending. In the 21st century economy, this is not true anymore. Sectors like health, social services and education have a tendency to grow, in GDP percentage as well as in creating employment, whereas other industries are decreasing. In the long term, an innovation in social services or education will be as important as an innovation in the pharmaceutical or aerospatial industry. — Diogo Vasconcelos

The underlying reason for this is the Europeans' fear that Islamists could gain power. Many still consider authoritarian Arab regimes to be the lesser evil. — Alvaro De Vasconcelos