With the 2024 elections on the horizon, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, gave what could be her last State of the Union address to the European Union as the body began its new session. She remains hopeful that the EU will further solidify its role as an important global actor and self-sufficient union over the coming years. Von der Leyen’s address was one that ultimately called for perseverance, unity, and hope as the EU navigates both the joys and the trials that are sure to come its way. Here are the main takeaways from her speech:
Where the EU has been
Von der Leyen began her address by focusing on the achievements the EU has had to date. Her first focus was the European Green Deal, which she described as a major move towards a sustainable future that made sustainability the “centerpiece of the economy.” By emphasizing innovation and protecting European industry, she argues that the EU is working to prepare a way towards a “fair and just” green transition while also allowing the EU common market to thrive. Von der Leyen applauds the EU for taking a stand against an “aggressive” Russia and an “assertive” China; it is clear that she sees that the path forward for the EU is one of greater conviction. She additionally points out how the EU has expanded on this conviction by becoming a “global pioneer” in online rights and fighting for data privacy.
Where the EU is now
While many great strides have been made, the EU still faces several ongoing crises that demand its attention. Von der Leyen emphasizes the importance of biodiversity of Europe and stresses that nature and wildlife must be protected and preserved. In addition, she brings attention towards the necessity of self-sufficiency in food production, urging that strategic dialogue is needed to address the future of agriculture in the EU. She similarly acknowledges ongoing economic concerns such as the “skills shortage” and the need to improve access to the labor market, inflation, and the need to make business easier for companies, especially smaller businesses.
Where the EU is going
The work that the EU has done, coupled with the challenges it faces now, builds a pathway forward. Von der Leyen acknowledges that voters in the coming year are likely to vote on issues that impact their daily lives right now, issues such as climate change, the housing crisis, and the Russia-Ukraine war. Aware that migration remains a central topic, she implores the EU to focus on passing a new pact on migration asylum, a venture that will require unity within the EU. But the future doesn’t only hold challenges; it also holds hope, a hope that the EU will become an even stronger union of even more countries as the EU enlarges to include the Western Balkans, Moldova, and Ukraine. Ultimately, von der Leyen concludes, it is the EU’s “collective duty to write a new story of Europe.”
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