The intervention of the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in Strasbourg was not a simple balance, but a political discourse that comes with evident delay on some dossiers.
He tried to keep industry, mobility, social policies and defense together, presenting a Europe that wants to show himself active after being accused by several parts of immobility and stall.
On Gaza, he broke a silence that lasted too much, while Ukraine pushed forcefully, claiming the role of drones as a decisive weapon and relaunching with billions of European funds. A language that marks a further step towards the direct involvement of Europe in the clash with Moscow.
Von der leyen, Made cheap electric cars in Europe
Sustainable mobility remains one of the most discussed fronts in Brussels. The Commission wants to work together with the manufacturers to create light, low -cost cars and produced entirely in Europe. So Ursula von der leyen in the classroom:
I think Europe should have its own electric car. And as ecological: clean, efficient and light. And as an economic: accessible to everyone. And as a European: built here, with European supply chains.
But the dossier divides: the stop from 2035 to polluting engines frightens the car manufacturers, already grappling with Chinese competition. On the table there is also the hypothesis of opening to alternative fuels such as hydrogen and synthetic solutions.
Support for technological manufacturing
Von der Leyen then spoke of a package of measures to revive the European industry. Among the main points, 1.8 billion euros intended for the battery supply chain and the introduction of rules on contracts that favor products made on the continent. In this difficult economic moment and unfortunately governed by the bogeyman of the American moves of Trump’s duties, we try to strengthen production in the key sectors of the Clean Tech through a new legislative tool, the industrial accelerator act.
In his speech he also defended the agreement with Washington:
If you take into account the exceptions we have obtained and the additional rates that others have to pay, we have the best possible agreement.
Public health and risk new epidemics
Strengthened by his medical training, he launched a warning:
We are on the edge – or even at the beginning – of another global health crisis.
He denounced the decline in vaccines in different western countries and the political choices of the United States, accused of compromising collective immune coverage:
I am bewitched by the disinformation that threatens global progress on everything, from measles to polio.
To give weight to his words he mentioned a study by Yale University: anti-Covid vaccines would have avoided over 18 million hospitalizations between 2020 and 2022 in the US 2020 and 2022.
Measures against poverty and dear life
The social situation remains one of the most delicate points in Europe. Over 93 million citizens live in fragile conditions: low income, unstable jobs and difficulties in accessing essential services such as home, health and education. A share that touches a fifth of the overall population.
Von der Leyen has promised interventions to lighten the cost of energy and housing. Since 2015 the average price of homes has increased by 20% and the problem weighs especially on the youngest, since, not only in Italy, salaries tend to remain watertight. He said:
We must review our rules regarding state aid to allow measures to support housing construction. We must make the construction of new student houses and residences much easier.
Industrial alliance with Ukraine
On the geopolitical front, Brussels wants to tighten the relationships with Kiev even more. The idea is to start a joint production of drones and strengthen the Ukrainian military industry by exploiting European support. He said:
Today, it is the use of drones by Ukraine which represents beyond two thirds of the losses of Russian equipment.
To support this project, the Commission will anticipate six billion euros through the G7 loan known as it was, money intended for research and development in the aeronautical and technological sector.
Von der Leyen has relaunched with a formula destined to make people discuss: Europe will defend every centimeter of its territory, we will build a wall of drones with Kiev.
Palestine, Middle East and European funds
During the intervention in Strasbourg, the president also dealt with the theme of the situation in the Middle East, a dossier left for too long on the margins of the European debate. He announced the birth of a group of donors for Palestine, operational from next month and designed to contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
Von der Leyen has also finally declared: “We will suspend all the funds for Israel”. In addition to the words, it is a partial block, about 30 million euros, which will not affect relations with Israeli civil society and with cultural institutions such as Yad Vashem.
A spokesman for the Commission clarified that the loan was part of the Global Europe tool for the period 2021-2027. Israel should have received around 6 million euros per year until 2027, but the next payments will be stopped. To be frozen will also be about 14 million already intended for ongoing projects, including twinning and institutional cooperation programs, while other interventions will be evaluated individually.
