EC prez election: von der Leyen promises a single EU defence market, migration check

In a significant move to boost European security, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced plans to build a “true European Defence Union” and create a single market for defence products and services.

To drive this effort, Leyen has pledged to appoint a Commissioner for Defence, who will be responsible for coordinating efforts to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base. She also pledged to revamp border management, strengthen Frontex and Europol, and to put forward a new approach for the return of migrants.

Leyen made the following pledges on Thursday as she sought approval from members of the European Parliament for a second term at the helm of the European Union’s powerful executive body.

DEFENCE AND SECURITY

- Build a “true European Defence Union” and create a single market for defence products and services.

- Propose Defence Projects of Common European Interest starting with a European Air Shield and cyber defence.

- Appoint a Commissioner for Defence, who will coordinate efforts to strengthen Europe’s defence industrial base.

- Present a White Paper on the Future of European Defence in the next Commission’s first 100 days.

- More than double the staff of European police agency Europol.

ECONOMIC POLICY

- Create a European Savings and Investments Union, including banking and capital markets to leverage priva ate savings to invest in innovation and clean and digital transitions.

- Establish a European Competitiveness Fund as part of the EU’s next long-term budget, starting in 2028. The fund, of unspecified size and financing method, is to invest in strategic technologies like Artificial Intelligence, space, clean tech and biotechnology and support European projects of common interest.

COMPETITIVENESS, FOREIGN ECONOMIC POLICY

- Present a “Clean Deal Industrial Deal” in the next Commission’s first 100 days to ensure the EU is making the products it requires for its green transition and reduces its reliance on imports from China.

- Increase the share of renewables in EU electricity power generation beyond its current 50% and make it easier for banks and investors to finance fast-growing companies and steer private savings into the green and digital transitions.

- Revise Public Procurement Directive to enable preference for European products in strategic sectors.

- Formulate new economic foreign policy that forges critical mineral partnerships, drives investment in Africa, Asia and Latin America and guards against technology leakage.

CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY

- Propose a legally-binding EU target to cut emissions by 90% by 2040, compared to 1990 levels.

- Focus on ensuring countries can fulfil the EU’s existing CO2-cutting policies.

- Von der Leyen indicated she plans to maintain a contentious policy to ban sales of new CO2-emitting cars by 2035. But her policy document said the law would be tweaked to confirm cars running on e-fuels can still be sold after 2035.

- Present plan to help countries adapt to worsening climate change, which is hitting EU countries like Spain and Greece with severe drought and wildfires.

- Extend EU’s joint purchasing scheme for gas to include hydrogen and critical raw materials.

MIGRATION

- Triple the number of European Border and Coast Guards to 30,000.

- Develop new EU Visa Policy Strategy “to better secure borders and manage migration”.

- Appoint a Commissioner for the Mediterranean and establish a Pact for the Mediterranean with countries in the region.

- Present new common approach on return of migrants, with new legislation “to speed up and simplify the process”.

OTHER POLICY AREAS

- Appoint a commissioner whose responsibilities will include housing and put forward a European Affordable Housing Plan.

- Appoint a dedicated Commissioner for Enlargement to help bring candidate countries closer to EU membership.

With inputs from Reuters.