State of the European Union (SOTEU) 2021

Summary:

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered the second State of the Union (SOTEU) address of her mandate to the European Parliament on 15 September 2021.

Further information:

Ms von der Leyen outlined in her speech some of the key initiatives in the Commission's plans for the year ahead, which included:

• Continuing vaccination efforts in the EU and speeding up vaccination globally, as well as strengthening pandemic preparedness;
• Working on closing the climate finance gap, together with global partners;
• Leading digital transformation, while ensuring technical excellence and security of supply;
• Ensuring fairer working conditions and better healthcare, and creating more opportunities for youth to benefit from European social market economy;
• Stepping up cooperation on security and defence, while deepening partnership with closest allies;
• Defending European values and freedoms, and protection the rule of law.

The President of the European Commission also sent a Letter of Intent to the Presidents of the European Parliament and Council of the European Union, in which actions intended to be carried out in the following year were detailed.

Official

European Commission: State of the Union 2021 https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/strategic-planning/state-union-addresses/state-union-2021_en

European Parliament: Headlines: State of the European Union Debate 2021 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/headlines/priorities/soteu2021

S&D Group: Newsroom, 09/09/2021: S&Ds put forward 10 key priorities ahead of the debate on the State of the Union https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/sds-put-forward-10-key-priorities-ahead-debate-state-union

Renew Europe Group: Newsroom, 09/09/2021: Ursula von der Leyen's State of the Union speech: The EU can (and must) vaccinate the globe https://www.reneweuropegroup.eu/news/2021-09-09/eu-to-vaccinate-the-globe

European Commission: 2021 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen (15 September 2021) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/SPEECH_21_4701

European Commission: State of the European Union 2021 debate - EP Plenary Session [via Youtube] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZlifT2aN1g

GUE/NGL Group: The Real State of the European Union (15 September 2021) https://left.eu/the-real-state-of-the-european-union/

Greens/EFA Group: Press Release, 15/09/2021: Greens/EFA call for faster action on climate protection https://www.greens-efa.eu/en/article/press/state-of-the-european-union-greens-efa-call-for-more-speed-on-climate-protection

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News

EurActiv, 09/09/2021: Von der Leyen set to defend COVID strategy in State of the EU speech https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/news/von-der-leyen-set-to-defend-covid-strategy-in-state-of-the-eu-speech/

France24, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen hails EU vaccine progress, pledges 200 million jabs for low-income countries https://www.france24.com/en/europe/20210915-health-plans-climate-set-to-top-agenda-at-state-of-the-european-union-speech

The Guardian, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen: EU must acquire ‘political will’ to build own military https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/15/von-der-leyen-eu-state-of-union-speech-political-will-build-own-military

BBC News, 15/09/2021: EU must step up and build defence - von der Leyen https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-58570505

Deutsche Welle, 15/09/2021: EU to prioritize global vaccination, von der Leyen says in State of EU address https://p.dw.com/p/40Kyw

Bloomberg, 15/09/2021: EU Calls On China, US to 'Step Up' on Global Climate Fight https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-09-15/eu-s-von-der-leyen-touts-vaccine-progress-announces-donations

Reuters, 15/09/2021: EU to propose ban on products made by forced labour - von der Leyen https://www.reuters.com/article/idAFS8N2O6018

The Irish Times, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen urges common EU defence to strengthen global role https://www.irishtimes.com/news/world/europe/von-der-leyen-urges-common-eu-defence-to-strengthen-global-role-1.4674708

RTÉ News, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen warns against 'pandemic of the non-vaccinated' https://www.rte.ie/news/world/2021/0915/1246841-ursula-von-der-leyen/

Politico, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen finds EU’s soul — and its weakness — in State of Union address https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-eu-soul-weakness-state-of-union-address/

LRT News, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen says Europe will ‘stand together’ with Lithuania under ‘hybrid attack’ https://www.lrt.lt/en/news-in-english/19/1496883/von-der-leyen-says-europe-will-stand-together-with-lithuania-under-hybrid-attack

RFE/RL, 15/09/2021: EU Chief Says Bloc To Press Poland, Hungary On Democratic Values https://www.rferl.org/a/eu-hungary-poland-democracy/31462020.html

LSM.lv News, 15/09/2021: Ursula von der Leyen: "Let's call it what it is: it is a hybrid attack" https://eng.lsm.lv/article/politics/politics/ursula-von-der-leyen-lets-call-it-what-it-is-it-is-a-hybrid-attack.a421427/

Radio Poland, 15/09/2021: EU stands with Poland amid ‘hybrid attack’ by Belarus: von der Leyen https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/7785/Artykul/2807746

N1 News, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen announces visit to Western Balkans ‘later this month’ https://rs.n1info.com/english/news/von-der-leyen-announces-visit-to-western-balkans-later-this-month/

RFI News, 15/09/2021: EU to set up pandemics agency as it rolls out new plans for climate, defence https://www.rfi.fr/en/europe/20210915-eu-to-set-up-pandemics-agency-as-it-rolls-out-new-plans-for-climate-defence-ursula-von-der-leyen

Politico, 15/09/2021: EU launches ‘Global Gateway’ to counter China’s Belt and Road https://www.politico.eu/article/eu-launches-global-gateway-to-counter-chinas-belt-and-road/

EurActiv, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen rides two horses on EU defence https://www.euractiv.com/section/defence-and-security/news/von-der-leyen-rides-two-horses-on-eu-defence/

Associated Press, 15/09/2021: EU chief turns to Paralympian Vio to inspire Europe’s youth https://apnews.com/article/paralympic-games-sports-europe-european-commission-state-of-the-union-address-1bef1065f0e7e868d7956535bb6ee6c1

Reuters, 15/09/2021: EU plans 'Chips Act' to promote semiconductor self-sufficiency https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/tech-is-make-or-break-issue-eu-chief-executive-says-2021-09-15/

EUObserver, 16/09/2021: Why won't EU forces fight together, von der Leyen asks? https://euobserver.com/world/152933

VOA News, 16/09/2021: EU Designates $35 Billion for New Health Crisis Agency https://www.voanews.com/a/eu-designates-35-billion-for-new-health-crisis-agency/6231635.html

EUObserver, 16/09/2021: Von der Leyen issues rallying cry for more EU sovereignty https://euobserver.com/news/152925

Hungary Today, 17/09/2021: PMO Head Gulyás: Von der Leyen’s State of the EU Speech ‘Huge Disappointment’ https://hungarytoday.hu/von-der-leyen-speech-reaction-hungary-gulyas-2021/

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Commentary and Analysis

EPRS: Briefing, September 2021: State of the Union address, European Parliament, 2021 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_BRI(2021)696204

European Policy Centre: Discussion Paper, 13/09/2021: The von der Leyen Commission: Time to reset, regroup and get things done https://www.epc.eu/en/Publications/The-von-der-Leyen-Commission-Time-to-reset~41d19c

Politico: Live Blog: As it happened: Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech https://www.politico.eu/article/live-blog-ursula-von-der-leyen-state-of-the-union-speech/

EurActiv, 15/09/2021: #SOTEU: The nitty-gritty of von der Leyen’s message for Europe https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/news/soteu-the-nitty-gritty-of-von-der-leyens-message-for-europe/

Euronews, 15/09/2021: State of the EU 2021: What are the key takeaways from von der Leyen's annual speech? https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/15/lives-updates-commission-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen-to-give-state-of-the-union-address

Bruegel: Podcast, 15/09/2021: Unboxing the State of the Union 2021 https://www.bruegel.org/2021/09/unboxing-the-state-of-the-union-2021/

Institute for European Environmental Policy: News, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen’s State of the Union: A post-pandemic future with a brief look at climate https://ieep.eu/news/von-der-leyen-s-state-of-the-union-a-post-pandemic-future-with-a-brief-look-at-climate

Martens Centre for European Studies: Blog, 15/09/2021: Searching for the EU’s Global Role – State of the Union Speech https://www.martenscentre.eu/blog/searching-for-the-eus-global-role-state-of-the-union-speech/

European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations: EFPIA Statement on State of the Union Address (15 September 2021) https://www.efpia.eu/news-events/the-efpia-view/statements-press-releases/efpia-statement-on-state-of-the-union-address/

European Public Health Alliance, 15/09/2021: What does #SOTEU 21 mean for European health policy? https://epha.org/what-does-soteu21-mean-for-european-health-policy/

European Citizen Action Service: Publications, 15/09/2021: ECAS’ Takeaways on the ‘State of the Union’ https://ecas.org/ecas-takeaways-on-the-state-of-the-union/

European Trade Union Confederation: Press Release, 15/09/2021: SOTEU: The right soundbites but few solutions https://www.etuc.org/en/pressrelease/soteu-right-soundbites-few-solutions

The New Statesman, 15/09/2021: How Ursula von der Leyen is resetting her presidency with EU vaccine success https://www.newstatesman.com/world/europe/2021/09/eu-vaccine-success-underpins-ursula-von-der-leyens-optimistic-state-of-the-union

Politico, 15/09/2021: Von der Leyen’s subtext: It’s all about China https://www.politico.eu/article/european-commission-ursula-von-der-leyen-state-union-2021-china-xi-jinping/

The Brussels Times: Opinion, 16/09/2021: Von der Leyen goes soul-searching as she seeks a global role for the EU https://www.brusselstimes.com/opinion/185320/von-der-leyen-goes-soul-searching-as-she-seeks-a-global-role-for-the-eu/

Euronews: View, 16/09/2021: The State of the Union speech was a big missed opportunity for Ursula von der Leyen https://www.euronews.com/2021/09/16/the-state-of-the-union-speech-was-a-big-missed-opportunity-for-ursula-von-der-leyen-view

LSE: EUROPP Blog, 16/09/2021: What the EU’s Media Freedom Act could mean for journalism in Europe https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/europpblog/2021/09/16/what-the-eus-media-freedom-act-could-mean-for-journalism-in-europe/

Euro|topics, September 2021: Von der Leyen's plans for Europe: no will, no way? https://www.eurotopics.net/en/268123/

Heinrich Böell Foundation: Commentary, 17/09/2021: About soul and sovereignty: our reaction to Ursula von der Leyen’s 2021 State of the Union address https://eu.boell.org/en/SOTEU2021

Times of Malta: Editorial, 17/09/2021: Von der Leyen’s plan for the EU https://timesofmalta.com/articles/view/von-der-leyens-plan-for-the-eu.900974

Clingendael: Event, 28-30/09/2021: Looking Back: State of the Union Conference 2021 https://www.clingendael.org/event/looking-back-state-union-conference-2021

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