Print Magazine
Brussels Morning Newspaper
Wednesday, June 29, 2022
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
  • Home
    • About Us
  • EU institutions
    • Commission
    • Parliament
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • The American Angle
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Southeast Europe
Brussels Morning Newspaper
No Result
View All Result
Home EU Institutions Commission

Expectations build up ahead of State of the Union speech

Anna-Karin Friis by Anna-Karin Friis
26 January 2021
in Commission, Features
Expectations build up ahead of State of the Union speech
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Political expectations are running high, not just in Brussels, ahead of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s delivery of her first State of the Union address. The unprecedented backdrop of the corona crisis and its consequences, adds to the sense of urgency as von der Leyen prepares to set out a common agenda and common priorities across the EU.

The Commission President is expected to focus on the societal obstacles raised by the pandemic and the impact of the containment measures, the accelerated impact of climate change and, most likely, the fraught transatlantic relationships. As always, the SOTEU address will sound the theme of how the spirit of European solidarity and unity can overcome disagreement and differences.

The speech, a keynote in the EU calendar, provides a platform from which to highlight not only a resilient economic recovery through a green transition, but a commitment to democratic dialogue and sustained social responsibility. Many hope the Commission President will use the occasion to spell out her understanding of the magnitude and intricacies of the challenges Europe now faces. Critical issues on the agenda also include the shaping of post-Brexit EU and its trade policy. MEPs welcome Wednesday’s debate as an opportunity to shape these discussions and voice their concerns.

Greens – concerned with Moria

The Greens are to urge Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for a solution to the refugee situation on the Greek island of Lesbos. They want the EU to act immediately and to leave no-one behind in their push for a solution to the emergency situation in Moria. The party is pleased with the EU’s Green Deal but wishes for more to be done to combat climate change; maintaining that, while the stated aims are high, it is time to translate these aspirations into concrete achievements that will advance the goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Promoting an ambitious climate policy, the Greens contend, would set von der Leyen apart from other Commission presidents. 

Socialists – return to border-free travel

The Parliament’s Socialist group is eager to see the EU’s Schengen system revert to its normal state of travel without border checks. The group is bent on ensuring that the functioning of the EU system as a whole is not jeopardised by the COVID-19 crisis and that EU countries coordinate the pandemic containment measures now in place. The group maintains that is the time for such Europe-wide social measures as a minimum salary and  ensuring that the COVID-19 crisis does not worsen poverty across Europe.

The Socialists look to von der Leyen to stand firm on the issue of respect for the rule of law within, but also beyond, Europe, especially with regard to Turkey, Russia and also Brexit. 

The Left is concerned that the EU is in a constant

The Left – EU in multiple crises 

The Left is concerned that the EU remains mired in an ongoing flux of deep-running crises: a public health crisis (corona), an economic crisis and a social crisis due to the rise in unemployment. Likewise, social cohesion within the EU is vulnerable to a situation that enables a small number of people to benefit from these crises. In support of its concerns, the Left cites the acute humanitarian crisis arising from plight of migrants, the growing ecological crisis and the crisis of democracy as the rule of law increasingly comes under challenge in different parts of the EU. 

MEPs on the Left hope that von der Leyen not only acknowledges their concerns but that she recognizes the complexity of the prevailing state of affairs. The Commission should provide clear answers that go beyond statements and stick to the commitment of a 55% reduction of greenhouse gas emission in Europe. The Left favours the “polluter pays” principle.

Also, as Martin Schirdewan has underlined, they hope that the EU steps up at the international level and adopts clear strategies on the situation in Belarus as well as Russia’s poisoning of opposition leader Aleksej Navalny.

@Europarl_EN

@SkaKeller

@ph_lamberts

@IratxeGarper 

@ManonAubryFr

@schirdewan

Tags: BrusselsBrussels LatestCommissionEuropean solidarity

Latest post

Ansongo,,Mali,-,December,2015,:,Daily,Life,Of,French

Report reveals deep links between Airbus and Chinese military industry

5 hours ago
EU’s urban population at risk due to heavy air pollution, EEA says

EU to ban sale of new internal combustion cars in 2035

8 hours ago

Most Read

  • These are the 10 highest paying jobs in the Europe in 2022

    These are the 10 highest paying jobs in the Europe in 2022

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What Are The Highest Paying Jobs In Luxembourg?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Energy Recovery Fund

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What Are The Highest Paying Jobs In Finland?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A taste of Croatian flavors of the diplomacy in Brussels

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Facebook Twitter Youtube LinkedIn

About Us

Brussels Morning is a daily online newspaper based in Belgium. BM publishes unique and independent coverage on international and European affairs. With a Europe-wide perspective, BM covers policies and politics of the EU, significant Member State developments, and looks at the international agenda with a European perspective.

Category

  • Ambassador’s Corner
  • Belgium News
  • Brussels
  • Commission
  • Council
  • Culture and Society
  • Diplomacy
  • Economy
  • EU Institutions
  • Europe
  • Europe With Transparency
  • Features
  • In Depth
  • Member States
  • Middle East Eye
  • Opinion
  • Our pick
  • Parliament
  • Place de la Bourse
  • Southeast Europe
  • Sustainable Perspective
  • The American Angle
  • The Macro-Economist
  • Uncategorised
  • US Elections
  • World

More info

  • About Us
  • Advertising
  • Cookies Policy
  • Contact Us
  • FAQ
  • Jobs

Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • EU Institutions
    • Parliament
    • Commission
    • Council
  • Europe
  • World
  • Member States
  • Economy
  • Culture and Society
  • In Depth
    • Ambassador’s Corner
    • Europe With Transparency
    • Place de la Bourse
    • The Macro-Economist
    • Sustainable Perspective
    • The American Angle
    • Southeast Europe
  • Print Magazine

Brussels Morning Newspaper - All Rights Reserved © 2020

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT