Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, opened her speech at the annual State of the Union session with a quote from Charles Dickens: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times." In this speech, which lasted over an hour, she addressed the "exceptional" challenges and "remarkable" changes that Europe is facing.
Closer Cooperation with Canada
One of the highlights of this speech was von der Leyen's proposal to create a "dependent membership" status for Canada. She presented this proposal to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who was present as a special guest at the speech. Von der Leyen said, "We have one ocean, a set of values, and a shared vision of the world. Now we will build our common future together." This proposal aims to strengthen bilateral cooperation in the areas of economic security, smart manufacturing, advanced technologies, defense, energy, and critical minerals. However, the operational details of this status are still unclear, and there are questions about how it would align with the current structures of EU treaties.
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Environmental and Security Measures
Von der Leyen also addressed actions regarding climate change, calling the summer of 2026 the "summer of truth." She referred to wildfires, melting glaciers, and water shortages in Europe, stating, "The science is clear. Europe is warming at twice the global rate." She promised to implement a national program called the "Heat Program" to prepare for heat and climate changes. She also mentioned the need to establish a "climate insurance alliance" to cover more damages caused by natural disasters.
In the security section, von der Leyen emphasized the necessity for Europe to be prepared against hybrid threats. She proposed creating a mechanism similar to NATO's Article 4 to respond to hybrid attacks. This mechanism could provide political consultations to coordinate the EU's response to these threats. She also suggested establishing a "European Security Council" that would include leaders from Ukraine, the UK, Norway, Canada, and other democratic partners.
Finally, von der Leyen stressed the importance of digital safety and announced the adoption of a law to protect children online. She stated that this law would prohibit access to social media for users under 13 years old and restrict it for users under 15 years old.
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