Every September, the President of the European Commission comes to the European Parliament to discuss with MEPs what the Commission has done over the past year, what it intends to do in the coming year and its vision for the future in the State of the European Union debate. Nine months before the next European Parliament elections on 6 - 9 June, President Ursula von der Leyen outlines her Commission’s priorities from now until the end of its mandate. She focuses on a stronger and more resilient European Union, on the EU’s continued support for Ukraine in its war against Russia’s aggression, on energy security and EU energy independence, the EU’s twin green and digital transitions, and on protecting core EU values. Answering statement by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission. This transcription is a result of an automatic process. Please check against delivery.

statement

Strasbourg

plenary session

VON DER LEYEN, Ursula (DE, EC)

state of the European Union 2023 (T)

State of the European Union 2023: answering statement by Ursula von der LEYEN, President of the European Commission

https://api.multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/documents/20125/72026451/1694098542414_I244636Chapters%5BSD-EN%5D.srt

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, Thank you very much, Honourable Members, Madam President. Many of you described where we came from. The mission that we had at the very beginning in 2019, the green and the digital transition, then came a virus, then came the atrocious Russian war against Ukraine.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, And I was glad to hear many of you comment that Europe managed to be strong and agile. And we will not rest, Malik. We will keep up the high ambition. We assured for that. So, the main messages of today are certainly first of all, we are living an uncertain world without any doubt, but Europe will deal with it. Be it the Russian war, be it climate change, be it how to keep a human centric.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, The second message is we are preparing the EU economy for the future so that the clean industry made in Europe is here at home that we will address the lack of skilled labour. That we will cut red tape.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, The third point is, of course, on enlargement and the because I heard you let me which is a bit funny quote myself from the speech I just gave. This is not a question of deepening integration or widening the Union. We can and must do both. And the second point is that I always will support this House and all of those who want to reform the EU and make it work better for citizens.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, And yes, that means including through a European Convention and treaty change if and when needed, but we cannot wait till we have done this treaty change to move ahead with enlargement. This was the message of the speech.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, Finally, a strong message that we have to strengthen our democracy. That's a daily work because they are never perfect, but they are perfectibility. And this is our task. So, thank you for a very lively, rich discussion with support and criticism, with ideas and warnings.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, This is the beauty of a democracy that this is possible to do all this and this is what democracies do. They answer to the aspirations and the anxieties of their citizens by action. So for us, it is important that in this electoral year we must continue to be active, that this is a year of action.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ursula VON DER LEYEN, President of the European Commission, Thank you very much for your tireless engagement and I am looking forward to the months to come. There are lots of uncertainties, but one thing is for sure. Long live Europe. Thank you. 