The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, will deliver the annual State of the Union address this Wednesday at the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Von der Leyen takes stock of the past year and outlines the priorities for her final year in office.
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In her speech to Members of the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen is expected to discuss the war in Ukraine and its consequences. Economic issues, especially inflation and rising interest rates, are other expected topics. The migration issue must also be highlighted throughout the speech.
These are some of the topics covered by Portuguese Members of the European Parliament, heard in Strasbourg, by DNon topics that, from her point of view, the President of the European Commission does not fail to emphasize.
Social Democratic MEP Paulo Rangel identifies “four extremely important dimensions” in the speech of the President of the European Commission, immediately highlighting the importance of tackling the war in Ukraine. Rangel emphasizes Von der Leyen’s ‘charismatic leadership’ and expects references to Ukraine’s accession to the European Union and post-war reconstruction. For Paulo Rangel, one of the parts of Von der Leyen’s speech should reflect on “how can we actively help Ukraine and its approach to European standards during this very difficult period?” In addition, Rangel expresses concerns about inflation, interest rates and the slowdown of the economy.
Socialist MEP Margarida Marques recalls the support given to Von der Leyen four years ago by the Socialists and Democrats group in the European Parliament, and looks forward to hearing what has been achieved “in the social, economic and environmental fields”. The MEP emphasizes the need to revise the European Union’s multi-annual budget and support the Member States.
José Gusmão, from Bloco de Esquerda, Expect to hear some references about the economic crisis and interest rate policy. João Pimenta Lopes, PCP Member of the European Parliament, on the other hand, it focuses on energy policy and housing and interest issues.
Nuno Melo, CDS MEP, believes that the situation in Ukraine will be “central” to the speech, which will also focus on topics “almost directly related” to the war, such as energy problems, the refugee crisis and questions about the food market.
On economic issues, Paulo Rangel notes that “European citizens are living in a war with inflation and rising interest rates and now, with the slowdown of the economy”, meanwhile “confirmed by the European Commission in its forecasts [intercalares de verão]. Rangel emphasizes that under the current circumstances, “citizens are suffering enormously,” and that this “can be seen in Portugal.” For this reason, I would expect “some news”, especially regarding “short and medium term measures”.
Socialist MP Margarida Marques recalls that four years ago, Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament voted in favor of Von der Leyen for the presidency of the European Commission, “under certain conditions, including social, economic and environmental issues”. Since this is her “last State of the Union address,” Margarida Marques expects the head community administrator to “explain what has been done in these areas.”
“There is an ongoing review of the rules for economic governance and the Stability and Growth Pact, (…) it is essential that the new rules are simple, understandable and sustainable,” the MEP argues, hoping to shed some light on to hear this topic. .
On the other hand, Margarida Marques also emphasizes “the need to create a permanent fiscal capacity to support Member States in investments”, as “we cannot ask Member States to make important transitions and then not provide budget support”.
Regarding the European Union’s multiannual budget, Margarida Marques warns of “the need for revision”, than was established in 2020, since “when Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine broke out”, and “budget lines have been exhausted and the revision of the multiannual financial framework is necessary”. “Von der Leyen is expected to tackle the available budgetary options,” he says.
Nuno Melo hopes that Von der Leyen will also tackle the ‘energy problems’ in the European Union, in particular the issue of “extension of energy subsidies”. [que] is currently a cause of conflict between the Commission and some countries,” he said, emphasizing that there is a dispute between “countries that want to extend aid beyond December 31” and the Commission that “wants this aid to end”.
Regarding the “direct consequences of the war in Ukraine,” Nuno Melo expects Von der Leyen to address “issues related to the grain food market.” namely “relating to fertilisers”. And equally about “inflation and interest rate increases”.
CDS member Nuno Melo considers it “inevitable” that Ukraine is a “central” issue in the European Commission President’s speech, as this is the “current circumstance that affects everyone the most”.
“It affects the level of values, the struggle for freedoms and democratic regimes”, but also because of its “consequences”, which translate into current crises such as “the refugee crisis”, with “millions of Ukrainians, welcomed in European countries” .
Left Bloc deputy José Gusmão believes that the war in Ukraine is one of the themes that “will certainly be present in the president’s speech.” But “I would like to hear about the signs of an economic crisis that are emerging,” in particular, he told DN “a signal for the European Central Bank to reverse the interest rate policy that has proven to be ineffective in relation to inflation”, as the slowdown in consumer price increases “is associated with the decline in energy resources for goods. and, to a lesser extent, food products”.
In the field of housing, José Gusmão understands that “it would be an excellent sign if the President of the Commission declared that Member States should be able to implement measures, even if they constitute deviations from the rules of the internal market”.
Based on previous speeches, PCP MEP João Pimenta Lopes regrets that “Von der Leyen is running away from the concrete problems that people face”. An example of this, as he notes, is “the issues of energy policy, where billions of euros continue to be channeled to guarantee the profits of big companies”.
“It is important to intervene in the energy market, in the way the price of electricity is determined,” argues Pimenta Lopes, who considers it necessary to guarantee “public control over this sector” and ensure “that wind -, offshore wind and solar farm projects are the target of an environmental impact assessment”.
On the other hand, he also identifies ‘interest and house prices’, which according to him ‘means a loss of purchasing power, a very significant increase in the cost of living, which cannot be separated, for example, from the increase in housing costs and policies that the ECB has implemented and proposed with the increase in interest rates”.
Paulo Rangel understands that the President of the European Commission must also talk about the issue of migration, in particular “on the so-called pact for asylum, for migration, [e] see what the developments are”, namely “how this situation is expected to be managed”, on the different fronts, how “the humanitarian side, the labor market side, the security side, the borders, the integration side”.
Rangel also sees that questions need to be answered in environmental terms, and it is necessary to know “to what extent, in a sustainable way”, the objectives of the European Ecological Pact will be achieved, “in a way that also benefits the economy not to suffer too much and, on the contrary, to benefit from what is a great opportunity to transition to a green economy and a green society.”
Source: DN
