Industry, defense, digital: Ursula von der Leyen wants to strengthen the autonomy of the EU
The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen during her speech on the State of the Union to the Parliament of Strasbourg, September 15, 2021. AFP - YVES HERMAN
Text by: RFI Follow
5 mins
200 million doses of anti-Covid-19 vaccines for poor countries, aid of 100 million euros for Afghanistan, additional funds for the climate or a European defense summit in 2022 ... here are some- some of the announcements made by the President of the European Commission this Wednesday morning September 15th.
In her speech on the State of the Union, presented to parliamentarians in Strasbourg, Ursula Van der Leyen took stock of the past year and above all outlined the main lines of European policy to come.
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While the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan by the American army has revived the reflection on the military autonomy of the Twenty-Seven, "
it is a European Union of defense that we need
", hammered Ursula von der Leyen in front of MEPs meeting in Strasbourg.
"
The time has come for the EU to move up a gear
" to "
defend itself against cyber attacks, act where NATO and the UN are not present and manage crises in time
", pleaded the Head of the European Executive, on the occasion of her second annual State of the Union speech.
European defense: summit in the first half of 2022
A summit will be devoted to this under the French presidency of the EU in the first half of 2022, she announced, while the project to create a European rapid reaction force of 5,000 soldiers, under discussion for several months, is far from being unanimous.
“
You can have the most advanced forces in the world, but if you're never ready to use them, what are they for?
", Tackled Ursula von der Leyen, denouncing a"
lack of political will
".
To support the Afghans, she pledged additional humanitarian aid of 100 million euros.
The EU had already quadrupled this aid for 2021, to more than 200 million euros.
Anti-Covid-19 vaccines: 200 million additional doses for poor countries
In the hemicycle of the European Parliament, she vigorously defended her management of the Covid-19 pandemic, while calling for further accelerated vaccinations in the EU and in the world to turn the page.
While "
less than 1% of vaccine doses have been administered in poor countries
", the EU will offer them 200 million additional doses by mid-2022, in addition to the 250 million already promised.
Brussels also wants to strengthen its tools to better face future health crises by committing by 2027 a European investment of 50 billion euros.
►
To read also: Covid-19: the European Union will specify the contours of its anti-pandemic agency
Digital: "European Act of electronic chips"
Above all, the Commission intends to take advantage of the colossal recovery plan that it is piloting to build a greener and more digital European economy, while strengthening the industrial autonomy of the continent.
Ursula von der Leyen was particularly expected on digital development, underlines our special
correspondent
in Strasbourg,
Carlota Morteo
. “
Digital is the issue that will mark our failure or our success,
” she insisted.
Let me dwell on semiconductors: those little chips that power phones, electric scooters, trains, connected factories. Digital does not exist without these chips. However, today we depend on chips manufactured in Asia. It's not just a question of competitiveness, it's a question of technological sovereignty.
"
The President of the Commission has therefore announced the presentation of a new "
European Chips Act
".
Its objective: "to
build a cutting-edge European ecosystem for the manufacture of these semiconductors."
This will ensure secure supplies and allow us to develop innovative European technologies.
"
Climate action: reinforced European contribution
In addition, Brussels wants to rely on its ambitious Green Pact and the European objectives for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to reconcile economic recovery and environmental concerns.
“
Europe cannot do everything on its own,”
said Ursula von der Leyen.
Major economic powers, the United States or Japan, have set themselves climate neutrality objectives for 2050 or soon after
”, like the EU, but“
these objectives must be supported by concrete plans
”by now the COP26 in Glasgow in November, she nevertheless warned.
The Paris agreement provided for the international community to provide $ 100 billion per year until 2025 to finance “
climate action
” in the most vulnerable countries.
But if the EU gives 25 billion dollars annually, "
the gaping hole left by others puts the global goal out of reach,
" she said, promising to boost the European contribution by 4 billion per year up to 'in 2027.
►
To read also: The EU discusses the modalities of application of the European law on the climate
Violence against women: proposal for a European law
The head of the European executive also highlighted her concern for social justice, support for young people - in particular via a new cross-border exchange program - and for women, with the announcement of a bill for fight against violence against women.
“
Too many women must have lived in fear during this pandemic.
It is about effective criminal prosecution, prevention and protection measures
”, both online and in real life, said the head of the European executive, who has the legislative initiative in the EU.
Post-Covid-19 recovery: do not repeat the same mistakes as in 2008
Faced with a still precarious recovery, the EU "will
not repeat the mistake
" made after the last financial crisis when a hasty return to budgetary austerity caused the continent to relapse into recession, she promised.
While the Commission has engaged in a standoff with Poland and Hungary over respect for the rule of law, which could condition the payments of the recovery plan, Ursula von der Leyen simply noted "
the worrying development of some States
”, without naming them, specifying that“
dialogue is not enough
”.
►
To read also: Speech on the state of the European Union: the dangers from central Europe
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European Union
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