On 10 September, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will deliver the State of the Union address. The State of the Union address (SOTEU) is the annual speech in which the President of the European Commission sets out her priorities for the Union for the coming year before the European Parliament. […]
Highlights of the debate on the state of the EU #SOTEU 2023
As every year, September is the time for the #SOTEU, the State of the European Union Debate. This annual meeting, which marks the start of the European political year, is a debate in which the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, presents the initiatives and measures proposed for the coming months. This […]
SOTEU 2023: Charting the course for the year ahead
“This is Europe’s spirit. A Union that stands strong together. A Union that prevails together.” Ursula von der Leyen, during her 2022 State of the Union speech In her 2023 State of the Union address, European Commission President von der Leyen will outline the main priorities and flagship initiatives for the year to come, building […]
SOTEU 2022: New EU cybersecurity rules ensure more secure hardware and software products
The Commission has presented a proposal for a new Cyber Resilience Act to protect consumers and businesses from products with inadequate security features. A first ever EU-wide legislation of its kind, it introduces mandatory cybersecurity requirements for products with digital elements, throughout their whole lifecycle. The Act, announced by President Ursula von der Leyen in September 2021 […]
SOTEU 2022: Commission moves to ban products made with forced labour on the EU market
The Commission has proposed to prohibit products made with forced labour on the EU market. The proposal covers all products, namely those made in the EU for domestic consumption and exports, and imported goods, without targeting specific companies or industries. This comprehensive approach is important because an estimated 27.6 million people are in forced labour, […]
State of the EU: Ukraine, energy, climate change, economy
In the annual State of the European Union debate, MEPs quizzed President von der Leyen on the Commission’s work in the past year and its upcoming plans. Opening the debate, EP President Roberta Metsola said: “It is a special honour to have Olena Zelenska with us on this important day. We are here against an alarming […]
2022 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen
A UNION THAT STANDS STRONG TOGETHER INTRODUCTION Madam President, Honourable Members, My fellow Europeans, Never before has this Parliament debated the State of our Union with war raging on European soil. We all remember that fateful morning in late February. Europeans from across our Union woke up dismayed by what they saw. Shaken by the resurgent […]
SOTEU 2022: live streaming
The European Parliament in Strasbourg is hosting the State of the Union Debate today from 9 a.m. onwards. This event marks the start of the European political year. The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will outline the priorities for the new political year and discuss them with the Members of the […]
State of the EU debate 2022: here’s how to follow it
What is the State of the European Union debate? 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. This is known as the […]