Ursula von der Leyen, recently re-elected as president of the European Commission, stated that the EU and the US are confronting shared challenges. This remark followed a phone conversation she had with US President Joe Biden on Saturday, according to DPA.
During the call, Biden congratulated von der Leyen on her new term and discussed various issues including support for Ukraine and efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions, as reported by the White House. Von der Leyen highlighted on the social media platform “X” that the EU and the US are facing common challenges across Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific region. She emphasized that Brussels and Washington are “partners, friends, and allies“.
In the US, internal criticism of President Joe Biden is intensifying. Members of the Democratic Party are increasingly urging the 81-year-old incumbent to withdraw from the presidential race scheduled for November. Despite being in isolation due to coronavirus and remaining out of the public eye, Biden has outwardly remained unperturbed by the criticism from within his party, according to DPA.
On Thursday, Ursula von der Leyen secured a second term as president of the European Commission, with her new term set to run nearly until the end of 2029. Her re-election was confirmed with 401 votes in favor and 284 against in a secret ballot held in the European Parliament.
In her address to the Parliament, von der Leyen emphasized the pivotal nature of the next five years for Europe’s global standing. She stated that this period will determine whether Europe shapes its own future or allows events and external forces to dictate it.
Among her promises, von der Leyen outlined plans to establish a “genuine European defense union,” including creating a single market for defense products and proposing common European defense projects. She aims to appoint a Defense Commissioner to oversee these efforts and to present a White Paper on European defense within the first 100 days of the new Commission.
Economically, she intends to create a European Savings and Investment Union to leverage private funds for innovation and green transitions. A European Competitiveness Fund will be established in the next long-term EU budget, starting in 2028, to invest in strategic technologies such as artificial intelligence and clean energy.
Von der Leyen also pledged to update competition policy to support EU companies’ global expansion while focusing on innovation and sustainability. New measures will be introduced to protect small and medium-sized enterprises from detrimental acquisitions and to enforce the Digital Markets Act and the Digital Services Act more effectively.
In terms of climate change and energy, von der Leyen proposed a legally binding target to cut emissions by 90% by 2040 compared to 1990 levels. She plans to continue with the controversial ban on new CO2-emitting cars by 2035 but will amend the policy to allow cars running on synthetic fuels. Additionally, she aims to help countries adapt to worsening climate conditions and extend the EU‘s gas purchase scheme to include hydrogen and critical raw materials.
Migration policy will see a significant expansion of the European border and coast guard “Frontex” to 30,000 personnel and the development of a new EU visa policy strategy. A Commissioner for the Mediterranean will be appointed, and a Mediterranean Pact will be established. There will also be a push for a more streamlined process for returning migrants.
Von der Leyen‘s plans also include appointing a commissioner to handle housing and presenting a European plan for affordable housing, as well as a special enlargement commissioner to assist candidate countries in their EU accession process.
The European Commission drafts and proposes new EU policies and laws and controls the EU budget. As its president, von der Leyen will shape the Commission’s priorities and direct substantial funding to various initiatives. Her first term focused on climate change and the EU‘s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Looking ahead, von der Leyen will assemble her team, known as the “College,” which includes one commissioner from each EU country. The nomination process is expected to be completed by early August, with a new Commission potentially starting its work on November 1. This process includes vetting candidates for conflicts of interest and conducting hearings to assess their plans for their respective posts.
