The European Union's commitment to effective multilateralism, with the United Nations at its core, is a central element of the EU’s external policy. To respond successfully to global crises, threats and challenges, the international community needs an efficient multilateral system, founded on universal rules and values.

The EU and the UN are the world’s leading proponents and defenders of the multilateral and rules-based global governance system. Cooperation takes place across a broad range of areas, including human rights, sustainable development, climate change and environmental protection, digital, peace building, crisis management, disarmament and non-proliferation, humanitarian assistance, fighting corruption and crime, advancing global health security, managing migratory flows and labour issues.

The EU adopts annual priorities for its relations with the UN and for the UN General Assembly. These make clear that the EU is committed to strengthening the United Nations and to playing an active role at the UN.

To address today’s challenges and to achieve our common goals, we need a new generation of partnerships. The EU will continue to build new alliances with third countries, reinforce cooperation with multilateral and regional organisations, as well as other stakeholders, especially those with whom it shares democratic values and, with others, it will seek a common ground issue by issue. It will support partner countries in engaging more effectively in the multilateral system and ensure systematic follow-up of bilateral commitments with partners to advance multilateral objectives.

• How can young people be better integrated into global decision-making processes? 
• How can the UN respond even better to global shocks and crises? 
• And how should the digital space be shaped in the future?  

The United Nations Summit of the Future hopes to find answers to these and many other questions.