Climate and AI to loom large in von der Leyen’s State of the Union
Drafting is advancing on a speech that will set the course for the next phase of Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission.
The European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen's upcoming State of the Union address, scheduled for September 16, is expected to heavily focus on climate change and artificial intelligence, according to two officials familiar with the planning process. The European Commission, led by von der Leyen, is advocating for its 2040 emissions-cutting target and seeking to address concerns from both industry and national capitals about the economic impacts of the green transition.
In discussions about the speech, the focus on climate change was linked to recent extreme weather events like floods and wildfires. The Commission also plans to discuss the potential job impacts of AI adoption, requesting fresh data on the number of jobs likely to be lost and created. Additionally, migration, particularly the crisis in Ceuta, Spain, and the revamping of the EU border agency Frontex are anticipated to be key topics.
The speech is also anticipated to touch on social policy around the 10th anniversary of the European Pillar of Social Rights, as well as issues pertaining to Ukraine and EU enlargement. However, the final topics have not been decided and the meeting was a crucial opportunity for commissioners to share their priorities.
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