Ursula von der Leyen
According to her, the EU’s enlargement process will continue to be based on the principle of merit. At the same time, respect for European values remains a mandatory condition.
“As their future lies within our Union, we will shortly be proposing roadmaps for those candidate countries that have made the most progress,” said von der Leyen.
She singled out Ukraine and Moldova, emphasising that the European project remains relevant for countries neighbouring the EU:
“Ukraine and Moldova opened the first cluster of negotiations in June. This is an important step forward. And we will continue to support countries that are implementing reforms and demonstrating their commitment to the European path.”
Von der Leyen emphasised that enlargement must continue on the basis of results achieved, and that respect for EU values is a condition “that is not open to negotiation”.
Ukraine, defence and frozen Russian assets
One of the central themes of the speech was support for Ukraine. Von der Leyen stated that continued military and financial aid for the country is necessary and proposed using frozen Russian assets to grant Ukraine a compensation loan. According to her, Ukraine must maintain its lead in drone technology, and the EU is prepared to step up its cooperation with Kyiv in this area.
The President of the European Commission also urged Europe to strengthen its own defence.
“We must strengthen European defence. That is why the Commission will present a roadmap for achieving new defence objectives by 2030 and will work together with Member States to implement joint defence projects.”
Another priority objective mentioned by von der Leyen was the EU’s energy independence:
“We must move away from Russian fossil fuels once and for all. Europe must take control of its own energy security by developing clean energy, strengthening networks and creating the infrastructure needed for the future.”
To modernise energy infrastructure, the European Commission intends to propose a new package for the development of electricity grids and the Energy Highways initiative.
On the economic front, the President of the European Commission stated that it is necessary to make doing business in Europe easier, to reduce red tape and to remove barriers within the single market.
“Europe must become a simpler place to do business. We must complete the single market, remove the remaining barriers and cut the red tape that prevents our businesses from investing, growing and creating jobs,” said von der Leyen.
Separately, von der Leyen announced a proposal to grant Canada the status of the EU’s first associate member.
Other topics covered in the annual speech included migration, artificial intelligence, the competitiveness of the European economy and the affordability of housing.
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