To this end, the Commission is preparing a joint statement with the transatlantic defense alliance – with the USA as the leading power – said von der Leyen on Wednesday in her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Straburg. As a result of the events in Afghanistan, it wants to push ahead with the development of the European Defense Union.
Joint situation and analysis center
Von der Leyen was in favor of the idea of a joint situation and analysis center. It also proposed VAT exemption on the purchase of defense equipment designed and manufactured in Europe and announced a proposal for a new European law on cyber resilience. According to von der Leyens, fundamental decisions will be made in the first half of next year at a “European Defense Summit” organized with French President Emmanuel Macron. One must decide how one can use the possibilities of the EU treaty in the field of defense, explained the Christian Democrat.
Discussion of setting up an EU crisis reaction force
With a view to the establishment of a new EU crisis reaction force, which has already been discussed, von der Leyen warned that a fundamental question should also be taken care of. “You can have the most advanced armed forces in the world – but if you’re never ready to use them, what are they good for?” She asked. What the EU has been holding back so far is not just a lack of capacity, but also a lack of political will. “If we develop this political will, we can do a lot at EU level,” she said.
In terms of economic independence, von der Leyen announced, among other things, that he would strengthen the production of high-performance chips in Europe in order to eliminate the dependence on Asian producers. This is not only a question of our competitiveness, but also a question of technological sovereignty. From smartphones and electric scooters to trains or entire intelligent factories – “no digital product without chips,” said von der Leyen.
“Drawing lessons from the Taliban’s takeover”
For Afghanistan, the EU Commission President announced an additional 100 million euros to support those in need. “We must do everything we can to avert the real threat of great famine and humanitarian catastrophe,” she said. The 100 million will be part of a new support package that will be presented in the next few weeks. Most recently, von der Leyen announced at the end of August that the contribution from the EU budget for humanitarian aid to Afghans will be increased from around 50 million euros to more than 200 million euros. The money is available in addition to contributions from member states. Von der Leyen also made it clear that the EU must learn lessons from the takeover of power by the militant Islamist Taliban in Afghanistan. The Community of 27 did not participate in the military operation in support of the previous government in the country, but some member states did. It has also put a lot of money into projects designed to prevent the Taliban from regaining power.
Von der Leyen also announced that the EU would double its contribution to global nature conservation. This is how the decline of biodiversity should be combated. The German politician said that the recipients of the aid were the weakest countries in the world. For the years up to 2027, she named an additional four billion euros.
EU-wide ban on products made from forced labor
Von der Leyen also wants to enforce an EU-wide ban on products made from forced labor. Doing global business is good, just as global trade is good and necessary. But this must not be done at the expense of human dignity and freedom. Today there are around 25 million people who are threatened or condemned to use forced labor. “Human rights cannot be bought – for no money in the world,” said the 62-year-old.
More corona vaccination doses for poorer countries
The European Union wants to donate 200 million more Corona vaccine doses to poorer countries, as von der Leyen also announced in her second State of the Union address in Straburg. Von der Leyen spoke of an “investment in solidarity and an investment in global health”. The EU has thus almost doubled its donation pledges to a total of 450 million vaccine doses. Von der Leyen called the fight against the corona pandemic “one of the great geopolitical questions of our time”. She stressed that so far “less than one percent of the doses worldwide have been given in low-income countries”. The President of the Commission also pointed out that the EU is investing one billion euros in promoting vaccine production in Africa.
The head of the Commission praised the management of the corona pandemic in the EU as a success – at the same time, she called for further efforts. With more than 70 percent fully vaccinated among the adult population, the EU is, despite all the critics, among the world’s leaders, said von der Leyen. “We did it right because we did it the European way.” The “Corona times” are not over. A pandemic is a marathon, not a sprint. “In order to ensure that a virus no longer becomes a pandemic in the future, von der Leyen proposed investing 50 billion euros in healthcare for the entire EU over the next six years.
2022 will be the year of European youth
The EU Commission also wants to set up a new exchange program for young people who have neither found an apprenticeship nor a job. “(The program) ALMA will give these young people the opportunity to gain temporary work experience in another Member State,” said von der Leyen. These youngsters deserved an experience of what students could do under the Erasmus exchange program. In addition, in her address on the State of the European Union, von der Leyen announced that 2022 would be the year of European youth. This was intended to value the young people who would have sacrificed a lot to protect others during the corona pandemic.
The echo from the EU Parliament was divided on von der Leyen’s speech. The chairman of the European People’s Party (EPP), Manfred Weber (Germany), praised the EU Commission for its work against the corona pandemic. No other continent has such high vaccination rates as the EU.
The Spanish social democrat Iratxe Garca Prez (Spain) said she was delighted with von der Leyen’s announcement that he would be introducing a law against violence against women. “We have been demanding this law for years,” she said. In terms of foreign policy, the EU must finally speak with one voice, as the developments in Afghanistan have shown. The Green parliamentary group leader Philippe Lamberts (Belgium) called for more speed in climate protection. “If we fail, there will be no more economy because the planet will no longer be habitable,” he said.
Reactions of the Austro-EU MPs
Austrian MEPs reacted mixedly to the speech by EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on the State of the Union in front of the European Parliament on Wednesday. The Vice-President of the European Parliament, Othmar Karas (VP), emphasized that von der Leyen had addressed all the key issues for the future and also announced the next necessary steps. Other parties were more critical.
For Angelika Winzig, VP-EU Head of Delegation, the “basis for a successful way out of the crisis is the preservation of existing jobs and the creation of new ones”. That should not be lost sight of in projects such as the Green Deal and Co. In addition, she called for “less bureaucracy and requirements and more entrepreneurial freedom”.
Andreas Schieder, head of the SP delegation in the European Parliament, misses the “big story”: “Many important topics such as care, digitization, climate protection, expansion of the health and defense union were dutifully ticked off, real emotions did not want to arise,” said Schieder in one Broadcast. He welcomed the promise to donate another 200 million vaccine doses and “more common commitment” in foreign affairs and security policy. At the same time, he warned that Afghanistan had shown that “armament and militarization are not the way to pacify the trouble spots of the 21st century”.
“Last year we saw both EU corona aid based on solidarity, but also hesitation and bad compromises that exacerbate the climate crisis and the rule of law crisis,” said the head of delegation of the Austrian Greens in the EU Parliament, Monika Vana, in the run-up to the speech. The EU Commission must “finally activate the rule of law mechanism.” She also sees the EU as obliged to provide “reception quotas for refugees”.
“The Union is currently too weak,” commented NEOS MEP Claudia Gamon. Crises like the corona pandemic, Afghanistan and climate change would bring “Europe’s weaknesses to mind”. “Overall, we are not prepared for such crises for a long time,” said Gamon. She sees the only way out as far-reaching reforms of the European Union, which must now be tackled in the conference on the future of Europe: “What comes at the end of these reforms is clearer to me today than ever before: a viable, efficient and citizen-oriented United States of Europe . “
“Have to get from talking to doing”
“Now we have to get from talking to doing,” said European Minister Karoline Edtstadler (VP). Coping with the coronavirus pandemic and its consequences as well as the green and digital change are “enormous challenges” for the EU, according to the broadcast. In addition, there is “an urgent need for more speed” in the development of a common European asylum system. At the same time, Edtstadler welcomed the fact that the EU “wants to play a stronger geopolitical role” in the future. When it comes to the rule of law, there should be “no false tolerance,” said the minister. But the “dialogue at eye level” must also be continued.
“Now it is a matter of Europe not only talking, but also delivering,” said Christoph Leitl, President of the Austrian European Movement (EB) – a platform for pro-European forces. “Only if Europe acts together on the major issues of the future, from climate protection to post-pandemic reconstruction, can we meet the future expectations of the younger generation and survive in the growing competition of systems.
