Von der Leyen: 'Single market incomplete for finance, energy and tlc. Soon a roadmap until 2028'

The story of the Ukrainian boy Sasha and his grandmother Liudmyla moved the Strasbourg Chamber during von der Leyen's speech. The two were guests of honour during the State of the Union address by the President of the European Commission who, speaking to MEPs, recalled the young boy's story. Sasha, now 11 years old, had been taken with his mother from Mariupol shortly after the start of the Russian invasion. The two attempted to escape, but the child was separated from his mother and destined for a new life on Russian territory, with a new name and new documents. Despite everything, he managed to phone his grandmother in Ukraine, asking her to bring him home. After the phone call Liudmyla faced a long journey through several countries, with the support of the Ukrainian government, until she was able to be reunited with him, she recalled. "I want to thank Sasha and Liudmyla for allowing me to share their story. I am honoured that they are here with us today," said von der Leyen, who was greeted by a warm round of applause from the Chamber, standing to pay tribute to the two guests.

"Our democracy is under attack. The rise of information manipulation and disinformation is dividing our societies. It is not only undermining trust in the truth, but also in democracy itself". This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the Eurochamber when announcing more European funds for local and independent media. "We will launch a new media resilience programme, which will support independent journalism and media literacy. A free press is the backbone of any democracy. We will support the European press to remain free,' he added.

"We cannot afford a situation where only 20 per cent of those who are not allowed to stay actually leave Europe. We must therefore quickly agree on a common European return system. We have no more time to lose. And we must also ensure the full implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum as soon as it enters into force'. This was said by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen in a passage of her State of the Union dedicated to the topic of immigration. "European citizens have shown that they are willing to help those fleeing war and persecution. But there is a growing sense of frustration, stemming from their feeling that our rules are being ignored. That is why we must step up our efforts. We need a humane system, but we must not be naive about it. We must be serious about returning rejected asylum seekers to their countries of origin. The pact is strict but fair. And it will only work if everyone does their part. North and south, east and west. And we need," he emphasised, "a new system of sanctions specifically targeted at human traffickers and smugglers. To freeze their assets. To restrict their freedom of movement. To cut their profits. Human trafficking is a horrible and criminal activity, and no trafficker should be allowed to get away with it in Europe'.

"Europe's independence is about protecting our freedoms. The freedom to decide. To express ourselves. To move across the continent. The freedom to vote. To love. To pray. To live in a Union based on equality. Our democracy and the rule of law are the guarantors of these freedoms. We need an integrated annual cycle on the rule of law: a common rhythm, clear milestones and contributions from all institutions. Our goal must be to close existing gaps." This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union at the Eurochamber plenary. "We have strengthened the link between the funds and respect for the rule of law. And with the next long-term budget we will go even further. Respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for EU funds. Now and in the future,' he added.

"Tariffs are taxes. But the agreement provides fundamental stability in our relations with the US at a time of serious global insecurity. There are two imperatives for Europe's independence drive. The first is to redouble our efforts at diversification and partnerships. Eighty per cent of our trade is with countries other than the US. So we must take advantage of new opportunities'. This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the Euro Chamber. "The second imperative is for the EU to step in where others have withdrawn, like research," she added.

"We have managed to stabilise prices and secure supply and are now on the road to energy independence. We need to generate more local renewable energy, with nuclear as the basic source. We know what has driven up prices: dependence on Russian fossil fuels. So it is time to get rid of Russian fossil fuels. And we know what drives prices down: clean, locally produced energy'. This was said by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaking at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg for the State of the Union address.

"In keeping with technological neutrality, we are preparing the 2035 review. Millions of Europeans want to buy affordable European cars. We should therefore also invest in small and affordable vehicles. I believe that Europe should have its own ecological, affordable, European e-car. We cannot let China and others conquer this market. In any case, the future is electric. And Europe will be part of it. The future of cars and the cars of the future must be made in Europe." Ursula von der Leyen told the EP plenary.

- "I am a long-standing friend of the Israeli people. I know how the heinous attacks of 7 October by Hamas terrorists shook the nation to its core. Hostages have been held captive by Hamas terrorists for over 700 days, since 7 October. That is 700 days of pain and suffering. There will never be a place for Hamas, either now or in the future. Because they are terrorists who want to destroy Israel. And they are also inflicting terror on their own people. Holding their future hostage'. This was said by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a passage of her State of the Union address without ever mentioning the word genocide. "In the long term, the only realistic peace plan is based on two states. Living side by side in peace and security. With a secure Israel, a viable Palestinian authority and the scourge of Hamas removed. This is what Europe has always stood for. And it is time to unite and help achieve this goal'.

"We will convene the first EU Housing Summit to ensure that this issue is high on our agenda". This was said by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen speaking at the EU Parliament in Strasbourg for the State of the Union address. "A home is not just four walls and a roof. It is security, warmth, belonging. But for too many Europeans today, housing has become a source of anxiety, debt and uncertainty," the president explained. 'It is not just a housing crisis, it is a social crisis tearing at the fabric of Europe. This is why the Commission will present by the end of the year the first European Plan for Affordable Housing, to make housing more sustainable, better quality and more affordable," von der Leyen added, announcing a series of measures such as "the revision of the rules on state aid", an acceleration in the "construction of new houses and student residences" and a new "legislative initiative on short-term rentals".

"The IMF estimates that internal barriers in the single market are equivalent to a 45% tariffs on goods. And a 110% tariffs on services. Just think what we are missing. And, as the Letta report points out, the single market remains incomplete, especially in three areas: finance, energy and telecommunications. We need clear political deadlines. That is why we will present a Roadmap for the single market until 2028. On capital, services, energy, telecoms, the 28th regime and the fifth freedom for knowledge and innovation. Only what is measured is achieved." This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union at the Eurochamber plenary.

"With the Clean Industrial Deal we have identified the main obstacles slowing down these sectors. Now we have to speed up the implementation. Because investors want to know that if they invest, there will be demand for European clean products. That is why pilot markets must be at the heart of our action. To trigger a virtuous circle where both supply and demand increase and prices fall." This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union at the Eurochamber plenary. "On the supply side, we will launch a Battery Booster package. This will provide EUR 1.8 billion of equity to stimulate production in Europe. Batteries are a key factor for other clean technologies, in particular electric vehicles. This is therefore a key element for our independence,' he continued. 'On the demand side, we urgently need to stimulate demand for European industrial leadership in clean technologies. That is why we will introduce a 'made in Europe' criterion in public procurement. And when we invest in the Global Gateway, for example, we offer strong incentives to partners to buy European products,' he emphasised.

On materials such as steel and other metals, the risk is to be "at the mercy of the prices, volumes and quality that others are willing and able to provide. Global overcapacity is squeezing margins and leaving little incentive to pay a premium for cleanliness. This makes it more difficult for the European steel industry to invest in decarbonisation. This is why the Commission will propose a new long-term trade instrument to replace the now expiring steel safeguards'. Ursula von der Leyen announced this during her State of the Union address in Strasbourg. "Europe will always remain open. We like competition. But we will always protect our industry from unfair competition,' she added.

"Europe's independence will depend on its ability to compete in these turbulent times. We have everything we need to prosper here in Europe, from our single market to our social market economy. But we know that economic and geopolitical headwinds are strong. And we have seen how dependencies can be used against us. That is why we will invest heavily in digital and clean technologies. With further investments planned in our future Competitiveness Fund and in doubling Horizon Europe, our research and innovation programme." This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union at the Eurochamber plenary. "And we are addressing the main bottlenecks identified by the Draghi report, from energy to capital, from investment to simplification. We have initiated strategic dialogues with key sectors, from automotive to chemicals, from steel to pharmaceuticals, from defence to agriculture. In every sector the message is the same: to protect jobs we must facilitate entrepreneurial activity in Europe," von der Leyen continued. "The omnibus packages we have presented so far will really make a difference: less bureaucracy, less overlapping, fewer complex rules. Our proposals will save European companies EUR 8 billion per year in bureaucratic costs. The digital euro, for example, will make life easier for businesses and consumers alike. And other omnibus packages are on the way, for example on military mobility or digital. For innovative companies, we are preparing the so-called 28th regime and accelerating work on the Savings and Investment Union,' he stressed.

Forget bitcoin, ethereum or stablecoins. The digital euro seems destined to have nothing to do with the cryptocurrency world of opacity and efficiency. The European Central Bank's digital currency currently looks like a natively digital form of banknotes and coins, a personal wallet connected directly with the European Central Bank, but without blockchain-based decentralisation.

Questioning this scheme was the Financial Times, which, reporting Brussels sources - hence political, not the ECB - speculated in a general way on a rethink of the digital euro project involving the use of a public blockchain, specifically those of Ethereum and Solana, instead of a private one.

"A European artificial intelligence is essential for our future independence. It will help strengthen our industries and societies. From healthcare to defence. So, we will focus on the first building blocks, i.e. from the Cloud and AI Development Act to the Quantum Sandbox. We are investing heavily in European artificial intelligence Gigafactories. These help our innovative start-ups to develop, train and deploy their next-generation AI models." This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the State of the Union at the Euro Chamber plenary. "Later today I will meet the CEOs of some of Europe's biggest technology companies. They will deliver their European Declaration on AI and technology. This is their commitment to invest in Europe's technological sovereignty,' he added.

"Putin's war economy will not stop, even if the war ends. This means that Europe must be ready to take responsibility for its own security. Of course, NATO will always be essential. But only a strong and credible European defence posture will be able to guarantee our security'. Ursula von der Leyen said this in Strasbourg. "And there is no doubt: Europe's eastern flank guarantees the security of the whole of Europe. From the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea. That is why we must invest in supporting it through a surveillance system on the eastern flank. This means equipping Europe with independent strategic capabilities. We must invest in real-time space surveillance so that no movement of forces goes unnoticed. We must heed the call of our Baltic friends and build a wall of drones. This is not an abstract ambition. It is the foundation of a credible defence'.

"What is happening in Gaza is unacceptable. But the situation is stuck without a majority. We have to overcome this situation. We cannot afford to be paralysed. That is why we will propose to suspend our bilateral support to Israel, to stop all payments in these areas, without compromising our work with Israeli civil society or Yad Vashem. We will propose sanctions against extremist ministers and violent settlers. We will also propose a partial suspension of the Association Agreement on trade issues'. Thus Ursula von der Leyen in her State of the Union.

"Europe stands by Poland". This was said by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in a State of the Union address to the plenary session of the Euro Chamber. Her words were followed by a long applause from the Strasbourg Chamber, most of whom were on their feet as a sign of solidarity with Warsaw after last night's penetration by Russian drones.

"I can also announce that Europe will advance EUR 6 billion from the G7 loan and enter into a drone alliance with Ukraine. Ukraine has ingenuity. What it needs now is industrial scale. And together we can provide it: so that Ukraine maintains its competitive advantage with Russia and Europe strengthens its own'. Ursula von der Leyen said this in Strasbourg.

EU: S&D, minute's silence for Gaza before von der Leyen speech

Strasbourg (France), 10 Sep. (LaPresse) - Shortly before the start of the plenary session where Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union address is expected, S&D president Iratxe García, together with members of the group, will stand outside the Chamber to observe a minute's silence for Gaza. This was announced by the Group of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament.

"Today we take stock of what we have done and assess our expectations based on what citizens want us to do. Citizens are asking for very simple things. They want a job, a roof over their heads, security, simple things and they want to be sure that they have equal access to opportunities, to their own security. So what do we expect from today's State of the Union address? First of all, we want to know how the European Union will make life easier for our companies by cutting red tape and simplifying the rules'. This was stated by the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, on her arrival at the plenary before Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union Address.

"Our citizens want us to make sure that where there are attempts to undermine our values, we remain united in protecting democracy," he continued. "Our citizens want us to make sure that we can strengthen our security by increasing defence spending and making sure that we are better prepared. Our citizens also want us to ensure that we are united and consistent in the face of the many challenges we pose to peace and security everywhere, whether in Ukraine, the Middle East or anywhere else in the world. This is what the European Parliament expects. This is what citizens want from us and I can assure you that it will be a very interesting and, no doubt, lively debate,' he concludes.

Right now the battle lines are being drawn for a new world order based on power. So, yes, Europe must fight. For its place in a world where many great powers are ambivalent or openly hostile to Europe. A world of imperial ambitions and imperial wars. A world in which dependencies are ruthlessly turned into weapons. And it is for all these reasons that a new Europe must emerge'. So says the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in her State of the Union Address to the European Parliament