#SOTEU

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen has pronounced her first speech on the State of the Union on Wednesday September 16th 2020. 

The speech about the state of the Union is an annual event in which the President of the European Commission takes stock of the actions of the EU and broadly presents the goals for the next year. The speech is pronounced in September in front of the European Parliament convened in plenary session. 

For the European Parliament, the debate about the European Union is the key debate of the year: It is a moment for testing the work done by the Commission to concretely achieve what was scheduled, with the aim of give solutions to European citizens. 

The speech was broadcast all over the EU on many national networks and from the Satellite on EbS: https://audiovisual.ec.europa.eu/en/ebs/live/1  

The debate about the state of the European Union (#SOTEU) has had a particular importance this year. 

As a matter of fact, it has arrived in the context of the crisis caused by the epidemic of COVID-19 and the European Parliament is the most suitable institution - since it is directly elected by the citizens - to collect the concerns and the expectations and to transform them into program and actions that must be inserted into the political agenda of the EU. 

In addition to a moment of reflection about the important results reached until now to get out of the crisis and about how much there is still to do, it has been the occasion to discuss about the future of the European Union and to outline the necessary reforms for a more efficient Europe which can be closer to its citizens.  

Preparing the route for the upcoming year 

In the speech about the state of the Union of September 16th 2020, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, has presented her vision of a Europe which emerges stronger from the pandemic and which indicates the road to a new viability. With the NextGenerationEU, Europe has the unique opportunity to achieve a change based on planning. 

It has a vision, a program, investments. To consent to Europe to become greener, digital and more resilient, the European Commission will focus on the following aspects: 

• => Protecting human lives and the means of livelihood in Europe, our citizens' health and the stability of our economy 
• => Reinforcing the constitutive elements of the European Green Deal and raising our ambitions  
• => Guiding the digital transformation, especially the one concerning datas, technology and infrastructures 
• => Making the most of the Single Market  
• => Continuing to mobilize the global answer while waiting for a vaccine against COVID-19 which must be accessible, low-priced and save 
• => Replying in an assertive way to global events and deepening our relations with our closest countries and partners from the rest of the world  
• => Adopting a new approach to migrational phenomenon, by keeping high control over the Rule of Law and by building a Union in which there is no space for racism and discrimination  
• For further information, visit the official website of the European Commission