In her speech on the State of the European Union to the European Parliament, Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission spoke on how the European Union handled the health crisis, climate change challenges, digital agenda, youth unemployment, European Defence Union and Afghanistan crisis, over the last year. She also proposed a new law to fight violence against women. The President of the European Commission welcomed a special guest, a Paralympic gold medal winner, Beatrice Vio, as an example of the fighting spirit of the next European generation.

Strasbourg

debate

plenary session

state of the Union

state of the European Union 2021 (T)

State of the European Union 2021 debate: Highlights of the debate by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/17841813/I210620Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, If I look at the state of the Union today, I see a strong soul in everything that we do. Europe has brought those words to life in the last twelve months.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, In the biggest global health crisis for a century, we chose to go it together so that every part of Europe got the same access to a life-saving vaccine. In the deepest global economic crisis for decades, we chose to go it together with NextGenerationEU. And in the gravest planetary crisis of all time, again we chose to go it together with the European Green Deal.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Team Europe is investing one billion Euro to ramp up mRNA production capacity in Africa. We have already committed to share 250 million doses. I can announce today that the Commission will add a new donation of another 200 million doses by the middle of next year.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, We have 1.8 billion additional doses secured. This is enough for us and our neighbourhood when booster shots are needed. Let&rsquo;s do everything possible to ensure that this does not turn into a pandemic of the unvaccinated.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, We will present a new European Chips Act. We need to link together our world-class research, design and testing capacities. We need to coordinate EU and national investment along the value chain.The aim is to jointly create a state-of-the-art European chip ecosystem, including production that ensures our security of supply and will develop new markets for groundbreaking European tech.

SOUNDBITE (French), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Europe needs all of its young people. We have to encourage those who falling through the gas in the net. Those people who do not have a job. Those people who are neither in education or training. For those young people we will offer a new program - ALMA. ALMA will offer young people the possibility of a temporary work experience in another Member State.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Climate change is man-made. But since it is man-made, we can do something about it. As I heard it said recently: It&rsquo;s warming. It&rsquo;s us. We&rsquo;re sure. It&rsquo;s bad. But we can fix it.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, My message today is that Europe is ready to do more. We will now propose an additional 4 billion euro for climate finance until 2027. But we expect the United States and our partners to step up too.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, We stand by the Afghan people. The women and children, prosecutors, journalists and human rights defenders.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, We will increase again humanitarian aid for Afghanistan by 100 million euro. This will be part of a new, wider Afghan Support Package that we will present in the next weeks to combine all of our efforts.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, What we need now is the European Defence Union.This is why, under the French Presidency, President Macron and I will convene a Summit on European defence.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, We will propose a ban on products in our market that have been made by forced labour. Human rights are not for sale &ndash; at any price.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Corruption doesn't just mean stealing from taxpayers. Corruption scares off investors. Corruption means that big money can buy big favors, and the powerful can undermine democratic rules. When it comes to protecting our budget, we will pursue any case, with everything that is in our power.

SOUNDBITE (German), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, By the end of the year we will come forward with a lawto fight viloence against women;

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Only in April, she was told her life was in peril. She went through surgery, she fought back, she recovered. And only 119 days after she left the hospital, she won Paralympic gold. Honourable Members, please join me in welcoming Beatrice Vio.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, If it seems impossible &ndash; then it can be done. Se sembra impossibile, allora si pu&ograve; fare. This was the spirit of Europe&rsquo;s founders and this is the spirit of Europe&rsquo;s next generation.

SOUNDBITE (Italian), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the EC, Viva l&rsquo;Europa.