Von der Leyen proposes Canada to be associate member of the EU
Von der Leyen then moves again to trade.
She says “in this age of tipping points, our prosperity and security will not only be built at home,” as she references new trade deals with Australia, India, the Mercosur bloc, Mexico, and Indonesia.
In a passage that includes what will no doubt be read as a swipe on Donald Trump, she says:
“These partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe, but they also respond to the fracture in the international rules based system.
For some, the answer is to go it alone. But this is not an option for us.
Europe will always lead when it comes to defending the rules based system. But we can no longer rely on it to be the only way to secure our interests, or assume that its rules will shelter us from the complex threats that we face.
In this new world, we must urgently reimagine our partnerships and build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies.”
She welcomes Canada’s Carney, saying his presence “is a symbol of the enduring friendship between our people.”
“Mark, Europe and Canada believe in democracy. That power does not belong to the strongest, richest and loudest, but to all of us. That democracies have the freedom to choose with whom to work. So we are joining forces voluntarily.”
She says the EU wants to “move the partnership with Canada to the highest level possible”, and says they will work together on “opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union.”
“This is not a partnership against anyone else. But for our common strength.”
The proposal gets a standing ovation.
Key events
EU’s ‘powerful promise’ needs new generations to ‘rediscover ability to think European,’ von der Leyen says
‘Glorifying war criminals has no place in the EU,’ von der Leyen says in criticism of Serbia and Mladić’s funeral
Social media ‘depriving children of their childhood,’ von der Leyen says, as she confirms strict rules on social media
‘European democracy is being threatened’ by disinformation, foreign interference, von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen says EU will draft tougher rules for emergency migration scenarios
EU’s von der Leyen calls Israel’s E1 settlement project ‘unacceptable’
EU ‘will give our strongest ever support to Ukraine over the toughest winter of the war,’ von der Leyen says
‘Threats are mounting on our soil’ with threat from Russia growing, von der Leyen warns, as she calls for ‘European Security Council’
Von der Leyen proposes Canada to be associate member of the EU
‘Some people want to backslide on women’s rights,’ von der Leyen warns
‘We want AI with human agency,’ von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen leads parliament in moving tribute to helicopter pilot who died when fighting wildfires in Greece
‘The hottest summer month ever, but the coolest of years to come,’ von der Leyen call for urgency on climate
EU’s trade relationship with China ‘unsustainable’ and need to be rebalanced, von der Leyen says
‘We need to electrify Europe,’ von der Leyen says, to cut fossil fuel costs down
von der Leyen warns against anti-European ultranationalists and Russia who ‘despise our values’
‘We are now dealing with an openly hostile world,’ EU’s von der Leyen warns
EU ‘the strongest’ but ‘most precarious’ it has even been, von der Leyen says
Watch von der Leyen’s SOTU live – video
Morning opening: The state of the European Union
EU’s ‘powerful promise’ needs new generations to ‘rediscover ability to think European,’ von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen now talks about the EU’s “powerful promise” dating back from its foundation, as she calls for new generations to “rediscover this ability to think European.”
The EU will create a new “Congress for Europe,” drawing on its origins, to get “the brilliant minds from across our union and across our continent” to “inspire the new generation of Europeans.”
“We should never forget the origins of our union. So long at war, united to forge a common destiny, a destiny of peace and prosperity, of democracy and freedom.
They never wrote down where the destiny would finally lead. But each generation has built on the foundations of its predecessors. Step by step, brick by brick, of course, imperfections are diversity, and our differences remain.
But that is precisely what makes Europe, our Europe and our common home.”
And on that point, she ends her speech to some applause from the audience.
‘Glorifying war criminals has no place in the EU,’ von der Leyen says in criticism of Serbia and Mladić’s funeral
Switching to French now, von der Leyen says “we also have to win back the hearts of Europeans.”
She also says the EU needs to look beyond its borders in the western Balkans.
She says the process “will continue on merit.”
But she says the adherence to EU values is “non-negotiable,” as she says she was “horrified by the pictured from Ratko Mladić’s funeral in Belgrade last week.”
“He committed the most atrocious crimes against humanity. Glorifying war criminals simply has no place in the European Union.”
Social media ‘depriving children of their childhood,’ von der Leyen says, as she confirms strict rules on social media
Von der Leyen then turns to the question of online safety, particularly for children.
She warns that “young Europeans now spend four to six hours a day on screens,” as they “are pulled ever deeper into feeds designed to keep them scrolling.”
“What we are witnessing is a great capture of our children. A capture of their attention, their focus, their minds. This is depriving children of their childhood.”
She references the death of a 14-year-old Belgian girl, Oléa, who killed herself as a victim of online bullying.
She quotes her mom who said: “I am convinced that had it not been for these omnipresent networks, my daughter would still be with us.”
Von der Leyen says “enough is enough” and confirms plans to bring forward “the Kids’ Act” with strict restrictions on social media usage by children.
“We will take a gradual and differentiated approach. Each age has its own sensitivities, and therefore each will have its own tailored protection level.
No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15.
That means from 13 to under 15, only mini accounts set up and supervised by parents or guardians, with limited features and time restriction to one hour a day and between 15 and 18, safe design will be an obligation for the platforms.”
She says the EU “will not accept addictive features” and “children being drawn into ever more extreme content.”
“We are reversing the burden of proof: now platforms will have to prove to us that they are safe because this is not about our minors accessing social media. It is about when and how do we allow social media to access our minors. Europe has the power to act. It is us who decide the rules, not big tech.”
‘European democracy is being threatened’ by disinformation, foreign interference, von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen then turns to the issue of democracy in Europe.
She says “our European democracy is being threatened” with “disinformation and foreign interference seeking to divide us, seeking to erode trust in our democratic fabric and free media.”
She pointedly says “the threats to our democracies do not only come from the outside,” as Europe sees “the rise of anti-democratic, anti-European forces.”
But she says “nothing is inevitable,” as she celebrates the change in Hungary, with the new pro-EU government led by Péter Magyar after 16 years of Viktor Orbán.
“12 April will stay in our memory for a very long time,” she says, referencing to the election day in Hungary.
“Hungarian people took their future in their hands. They chose democracy. They chose Europe. They brought Hungary back to where it belongs, at the heart of the European Union.
Years of backsliding have started to be reversed. The fight against corruption and state capture is speeding up. There is real progress on fundamental rights, on academic freedom, and now billions of euros of investment in Hungary have been unlocked. There is, of course, much more work ahead.
But … this shows the hard work pays off.”
Von der Leyen says EU will draft tougher rules for emergency migration scenarios
Von der Leyen then turns to migration, and not surprisingly touches upon the migration crisis in Ceuta.
She says “vulnerable people are being exploited by callous traffickers and smugglers, by our adversaries.”
She addresses the Spanish people, saying “Ceuta border is a European border, because Ceuta is Spain and Ceuta is Europe – and Europe will be there for you.”
She talks about the EU’s pact on migration and asylum, which “needs to be fully implemented.”
But she says the EU needs new rules for emergency situations, “especially in scenarios when mass movements are engineered and weaponised.”
“This is why we will propose a new European Emergency Response instrument. It will only be triggered under a strictly defined set of criterias. And in those cases, it will allow for a time limited and strictly defined flexibility of standard procedures.”
She says the message is clear: “we will always comply with our values and fundamental rights, but we will never compromise on protecting our borders because it’s us Europeans who decide who comes to our union and under what circumstances.”
She also talks about the need to strengthen the EU’s border agency, Frontex, and proposes a new “Mediterranean Youth Skills and Jobs Initiative” to work with partners in third countries.
EU’s von der Leyen calls Israel’s E1 settlement project ‘unacceptable’
Von der Leyen then turns to the situation in Gaza.
She says “the deep suffering in Gaza and unchecked settler violence in the West Bank have deeply affected Europeans.”
She says the Israeli government’s decision to go ahead with the illegal E1 settlement project is “unacceptable.”
“It is painful for many Europeans that member states have been unable to build the necessary majorities for a unified response. Some member states have moved ahead. Others are considering to do so. When Europe is divided, it cannot change the course of events,” she acknowledges.
She says the EU is “leading the way in supporting Palestinians,” and will continue to do so.
She says “Europe supports the right to self-defence for Israel, and the Palestinian people have an equal right to live in safety and dignity.”
“It is Europe’s role to keep the flame of the two state solution alive.”
EU ‘will give our strongest ever support to Ukraine over the toughest winter of the war,’ von der Leyen says
Switching to German, von der Leyen moves on to Ukraine.
She says “the coming winter will be tough for Ukraine,” but says nothing can break “the Ukrainian spirit of resistance.”
“Our task remains to support Ukraine as best we can,” she says.
She says the EU “will give our strongest ever support to Ukraine over the toughest winter of the war.”
She says the EU is now using its funding to help Ukraine buy air defence systems, and wants to work on developing “an affordable modular missile defence system,” made in Europe.
But she says “more is needed.”
The EU will work on “setting up a new programme for joint projects with Ukrainian companies,” and work to “tighten our sanctions on Russia.”
“What is needed is not necessarily new sanctions, but above all the enforcement of existing ones. Our sanctions … are putting enormous pressure on the Russian economy. Russia is doing everything it can to get around them. So we must close the loopholes.”
She goes back to English, talking about Russia’s indiscriminate attacks on civilian populations in Ukraine.
“This is a deliberate strategy of terror,” she says.
She talks about a story of a Ukrainian girl named Sasha and her resilience in returning to gymnastics after losing her leg in a Russian strike.
“Just seven months after the attack, she was back in the gym with her new prosthetic leg. She trained harder than ever. She started winning gold after gold. This summer, she travelled the world with her Dance of Freedom tour. Her aim is to tell the world about Ukrainian resilience and the fight for freedom,” she says.
Sasha is in the audience and gets a standing ovation.
Von der Leyen says “there is no room for any kind of doubt: Europe will defend each and every single square metre of its territory.”
‘Threats are mounting on our soil’ with threat from Russia growing, von der Leyen warns, as she calls for ‘European Security Council’
Von der Leyen then moves to security, as she references the recent incidents in Lithuania, Denmark, and Poland just this week.
“Russia’s war of aggression on Ukraine rages on and threats are mounting on our soil,” she warns.
“We need to be clear about what this was an attack using military grade material carried out by Russian operatives on European soil and attack not only on one member state, but against all of our union.”
She adds that “hybrid threats facing Europe are less and less hybrid and less and less threats.”
“Cyber sabotage, arson. Drone incursion. They are ramping up every day.”
Von der Leyen says the EU’s preparedness needs to be raised, with existing systems “made for a different world.”
She says the EU needs “its own counter-hybrid playbook,” and how it can respond to incidents just below the threshold of armed aggression.
She calls for the EU’s equivalent of Nato’s Article 4 (note: Article 4, not best known Article 5), “an emergency security protocol.”
“When triggered by one member state, all member states should convene to coordinate a European response to deter further escalation and to mitigate the impact,” she says, calling for the establishment of a “European Security Council.”
Von der Leyen proposes Canada to be associate member of the EU
Von der Leyen then moves again to trade.
She says “in this age of tipping points, our prosperity and security will not only be built at home,” as she references new trade deals with Australia, India, the Mercosur bloc, Mexico, and Indonesia.
In a passage that includes what will no doubt be read as a swipe on Donald Trump, she says:
“These partnerships are a strategic choice for Europe, but they also respond to the fracture in the international rules based system.
For some, the answer is to go it alone. But this is not an option for us.
Europe will always lead when it comes to defending the rules based system. But we can no longer rely on it to be the only way to secure our interests, or assume that its rules will shelter us from the complex threats that we face.
In this new world, we must urgently reimagine our partnerships and build global coalitions for our resilience and democracies.”
She welcomes Canada’s Carney, saying his presence “is a symbol of the enduring friendship between our people.”
“Mark, Europe and Canada believe in democracy. That power does not belong to the strongest, richest and loudest, but to all of us. That democracies have the freedom to choose with whom to work. So we are joining forces voluntarily.”
She says the EU wants to “move the partnership with Canada to the highest level possible”, and says they will work together on “opening the door for Canada to being the first associate member of the European Union.”
“This is not a partnership against anyone else. But for our common strength.”
The proposal gets a standing ovation.
‘Some people want to backslide on women’s rights,’ von der Leyen warns
Von der Leyen then moves to women’s rights, as she warns that “some people want to backslide” on them.
“They want to send us back in an age where women were second class citizens.
We have fought so hard for equal treatment, equal opportunities, equal pay.
Look around this room. Finally, there are many of us here presidents, vice-presidents, group leaders, commissioners, members of the European Parliament, staffers and ushers.
So let me send a very clear signal and message. Women are here to stay. We will defend our rights. And we will continue to stand up for our values every single day.”
Von der Leyen also says that AI benefits are “unevenly spread between skill sets, generations, and region.”
She says the EU’s response “must keep pace, from education to employment.”
She also goes through other social proposals, including on housing “to tackle short term rental and housing speculations.”
Von der Leyen’s state of the union speech – in pictures
‘We want AI with human agency,’ von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen then moves to the issue of artificial intelligence.
She says Europe’s stance is clear: Europe wants to “make the most” of the technology to “improve our societies, our quality of life and our productivity,” but is aware of “massive risks” that come with its rollout.
“As the frontier models become more capable, these risks have become sharper and come sharper into focus,” she says.
“CEOs of the most advanced companies tell us that it is time to slow down on the self recursive models to pace the frontier. If the people developing the technology are clear, then we should be too.”
She says the EU will “step up together” with like-minded partners like Canada and the UK, working particularly on “model evaluation, verification, early warning, AI security.”
She says the EU will invite the main frontier labs for discussions on how we can support ongoing industry efforts to pace the frontier.”
She also says Europe needs “its own capabilities,” and “massively boost our computing capacity.”
She then says “the next leg of this race is not only about frontier models.”
“Just as with the printing press in times gone by; it was invented by a German inventor, but it was mastered and applied across western Europe. So we do not need to develop the frontier technology to be the ones who draw the greatest value from it. The key is creating the value that AI has not yet delivered.”
She says the EU can lead on applications in real life scenarios, whether on a factory floor, a hospital ward, in precision agriculture, or autonomous driving.
“This is where the real value is hidden and it is where Europe has big advantages.”
She talks specifically about AI applications in health.
“Do I want my doctor to have instant AI access to all the data needed to make the best diagnostic treatment and choice? Yes, of course. But do I want my doctor to be a robot? … No, of course not. I do not want a robot to tell me whether I have cancer or not. The point is, AI needs to empower our doctors not to replace them. And this is just one example.”
She says the EU’s approach is clear: “we want artificial intelligence; we want AI to create more value, more responsibility, and at a lower cost and with less energy consumption.”
“But above all, we want AI with human agency. This is the essence of the European way.”
Von der Leyen leads parliament in moving tribute to helicopter pilot who died when fighting wildfires in Greece
Von der Leyen then turns to water and food security, stressing “the risks of water scarcity for our farmers, SMEs, energy and supply chains.”
“Yet European pipes lose almost one litre in every four litres, mostly through leakage. What a waste.”
She hails Europe’s farmers for their resilience this summer, and pledges to “support them every step of their way.”
She then turns to wildfires, warning that “they are getting more intense, more frequent and more spread out.”
“We need to think bigger and learn faster,” she says.
She says the EU will work on its preparedness and emergency rules.
She specifically pays tribute to a 46-year-old Danish pilot, Rune Kyndal, who died in a tragic accident in Greece in July when taking part in an emergency mission.
With his family in the attendance, von der Leyen says “all of Europe owes him,” as the parliament raises to a standing ovation for Kyndal.
‘The hottest summer month ever, but the coolest of years to come,’ von der Leyen call for urgency on climate
Von der Leyen turns to climate next.
She says that “our future prosperity and security will greatly depend on how we manage the tipping points of our points: climate change and AI.”
On climate, she says “this summer was the summer of truth,” with “almost no part of our continent spared.”
She lists places and rivers affected, with 660,000 hectares burned to ground, some 12 million tonnes of crops lost, and over 35,000 excess deaths.
“All of this is a mere preview. This was the hottest summer months ever, but probably the coolest of the years to come.”
She says that “the transition is complex and we will need to adjust and learn along the way,” but “there is no doubt: Europe can, must and will stay the course on our climate targets.”
She says the EU will propose a new package on climate resilience next month, and a separate package on heatwave preparedness, including rules on urban adaptation, cooling.
Von der Leyen then turns to investment and growth, as well as the EU’s next budget.
She talks about the need to simplify and tackle fragmentation on investment to help fund European start ups.
She pays specific tribute to the success of ICEYE, a radar satellite imaging and space-based monitoring company, built by Finland’s Pekka Laurila and Poland’s Rafał Modrzewski after they met through Erasmus student exchange programme 15 years ago.
“Today they are one of the world’s leading space technology companies,” she says. “You are a true European success story.”
EU’s trade relationship with China ‘unsustainable’ and need to be rebalanced, von der Leyen says
Von der Leyen turns specifically to China, warning that the EU’s trade deficit with China is now €1bn a day, and it has “reached its tipping point.”
“Some say the second China shock is looming, but it’s already here. It shows in our communities and factories across our union. It leads to deindustrialisation in the industrial heartlands of Europe. This is unsustainable.”
She says the EU “will use all tools at our disposal to rebalance our relationships.”
She also talks about the need to diversify on critical raw materials.
‘We need to electrify Europe,’ von der Leyen says, to cut fossil fuel costs down
Von der Leyen also talks about the need to reform Europe’s energy market.
She says “Europe cannot remain an industrial powerhouse if its energy prices are structurally too high.”
She says the bloc successfully pivoted towards homegrown cleaner energies in the aftermath of Russia’s full-scale invasion on Ukraine, but it still “bitterly felt the cost” of the strait of Hormuz closing later.
“We need to double down on our affordable and home-grown clean energy. Be it renewables or nuclear, be it biomethane or others. Technologically neutral. But these energies must give us independence and drive down energy prices.”
She says “we need to electrify Europe,” and cut the fossil fuel import bill.
She says lots of renewable capacity is waiting to be connected, and the EU needs to speed up grid connections.
She then turns to trade.
