European Commission President von der Leyen calls on EU to unite
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, speaking in Strasbourg, France, called on EU member states to act together in what she described as an openly hostile world. In her annual address to the European Parliament, she said that solidarity among the 27 member states is the only possible solution to overcome the challenges.
Europe’s independence
Von der Leyen noted that the European Union’s path lies in building an independent Europe capable of acting. According to her, the EU is facing war on its borders due to the Russian Federation’s invasion of Ukraine — an aggressor state — as well as fierce competition in trade and other areas with the United States and an increasingly assertive China.
The head of the European Commission, who is serving her second five-year term in office, also stressed the need to preserve European independence in energy, raw material supplies and clean technologies. She said that the state of the European Union is both its strongest and one that may appear fragile.
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Proposal for Canada
To achieve these goals, EU countries need not only to cooperate with one another but also to develop relations with strong partners, von der Leyen said. She proposed opening the way for Canada to become the first associate member of the European Union. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was present in the European Parliament chamber and received applause from lawmakers.
Trade with China and climate
Von der Leyen also said that the EU would use all available tools to reduce what she called the unsustainable trade deficit with China. According to her, last year the goods trade deficit amounted to €1 billion, or $1.15 billion, per day.
Separately, the European Commission President called on the EU to continue its ambitious policy to mitigate the effects of climate change and strengthen adaptation to them. She referred to the experience of the past three months, when Europe faced unprecedented heatwaves and wildfires, Asharq Al-Awsat reports.
