Von der Leyen promotes EU resilience despite great perils

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission president, emphasized the need for European resilience and independence during her State of the Union speech in Strasbourg. She addressed various challenges, including climate change, artificial intelligence, intensifying Russian hybrid war, a growing trade deficit with China, hostility from the Trump administration, and the rise of far-right parties in member states.

Despite the challenges, she highlighted the EU's strength and its commitment to defending the rules-based system. Von der Leyen proposed associate membership for Canada, an offer she deemed "possibly historic." While the EU does not currently have a concept of associate membership, the idea reflects the growing estrangement between the EU and the US.

The EU and Canada already have a free trade agreement, CETA, which 17 member states have partially ratified. Von der Leyen stressed the importance of both mitigation and adaptation to climate change, as well as European coordination on critical raw materials and a new EU KIDS Act to protect children from harmful social media content.