Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, said on the occasion of the 100th day since the College of Commissioners took office. “100 days since 1 December seem like a long time ago. The world around us is changing at lightning speed. Geopolitical shifts are shaking alliances. Decades-old certainties are crumbling. We still see a brutal war raging on our borders. Despite these turbulent times, this Commission has started strongly. From day one, we have maintained the course we set out in the Political Guidelines, based on the three pillars – prosperity, security and democracy. 100 days into our mandate, we stand by the European choices in the Political Guidelines. And we are doubling down on this. We have appointed our first ever Commissioner for Defence – a move that we now, three months later, feel is not only necessary but also the right thing to do at the right time. Because we have clearly entered a new era of tough geopolitical competition. We see some closing themselves off, sowing uncertainty and striving for short-term gains. I want to make it very clear that Europe will remain open, and will stand for partnership and connectivity. We offer stability and the capacity to Anticipation – these are valuable traits in these times.

Since day one, we have engaged in building new partnerships and strengthening old ones. With countries and regions, large and small. We have struck historic agreements – with Switzerland, Mexico and Mercosur. With Mercosur, we made a major breakthrough after two decades of negotiations, creating a market of 700 million consumers while protecting vulnerable sectors. We have reignited trade talks with Malaysia and re-engaged with CARICOM. And in India, the world’s largest democracy, which I visited with the College of Commissioners last week, we have deepened cooperation on trade, technology and innovation. Prime Minister Modi and I have agreed to pursue a free trade agreement this year as well. So for me, forging these partnerships is essential. Because we have learned the hard way that getting the products we need from partners we trust is the best way to avoid over-dependence, vulnerability and blackmail. And that, of course, is the best way to build strong economies.

All of this work – prosperity, security and democracy – starts at home. So let’s look at what we have done at home. First, on prosperity. Since the beginning of the mandate, we have presented eight initiatives to make Europe more competitive. Three more are in the pipeline. We started with the Competitiveness Compass. It is a translation of the Draghi Report into a Commission statement, which basically sets out the roadmap ahead of us – our North Star for a stronger and more prosperous Europe. It works hand in hand with the Clean Industrial Deal here – supporting energy-intensive industries and clean technology, and the Joint Roadmap for Decarbonisation and Competitiveness. On the day we agreed the Clean Industrial Deal at the College, I also discussed it with European industry at the Antwerp Summit. In parallel, we are focusing on sectors that are important for Europe’s industrial base and are undergoing the greatest transformation. That is why I have started to engage directly with the agricultural sector – we now have a vision for agriculture and food. I have engaged directly with the automotive industry in the strategic dialogue for the automotive industry, which resulted in the action plan. We have started the dialogue with the steel industry. The action plan for steel will come soon. Other strategic dialogues will follow. In parallel, we are busy cutting bureaucracy. You know our first two buses. And last but not least, this week I signed a new charter for the European Social Dialogue, proposing a skills union. Because the social market economy is at the heart of the European economic prosperity.
In all of this, our direction has always been clear. What has changed in these hundred days is a new sense of urgency. Because something fundamental has shifted. Our European values ​​– democracy, freedom and the rule of law – are under threat. We see that sovereignty as well as strict commitments are being questioned. Everything has become transactional. So the pace of change has accelerated and the action required must be bold and decisive.
As a result, this week saw unanimous support for the European Arms Reform Plan, a defence package worth €800 billion. This is a historic achievement. This plan could form the basis for a European Defence Union. We will push the European Arms Reform Plan forward with all our might. The idea behind this plan is: we must unleash our full potential in the face of concrete threats. If we can work together with other like-minded countries, such as the UK, Norway or Canada, the potential is even greater. It is important to stress that economic power and Europe’s arms rehabilitation plan are two sides of the same coin. Europe’s economic and innovative potential is an asset to its security. Conversely, European defence efforts could give a huge boost to a more competitive single market in the medium and long term. The huge investments coming in the next generation of military equipment and security infrastructure in Europe could create strong tailwinds for important industries. Just think of the acceleration of digitalisation and the modernisation of our transport networks. Think of applications of artificial intelligence, quantum computing and secure communications. Think of key technologies such as satellite networks, autonomous vehicles and robotics. All of this is important for Europe’s defence on the one hand, but it is equally important for Europe’s competitiveness. Small and medium-sized companies across our Union – we have 2,500 of them in the defence supply chain – will be at the heart of this transformation.

To succeed, we also need to accelerate and engage more private sector investors. We will launch new comprehensive packages to further simplify rules and cut bureaucracy – including in the defence sector. Also this month, we will unveil the European Union for Savings and Investment – ​​because only an efficient, deep and liquid capital market can transform savings into much-needed investments. Progress here is no longer a “nice to have”. It has become an “imperative”. In today’s world, preserving Europe as an economic power is also a matter of collective security.
Extraordinary times require extraordinary measures. This also applies to my Committee. To deal with the difficult road ahead, we must shift to a mindset of preparedness. That is why, in the coming weeks, I will convene the first-ever Security College. This will ensure that members of the College receive regular updates on security developments. From external and internal security to energy, defence and research. From cyberspace to trade to foreign interference. Only if we have a clear and deep understanding of the threats, including hybrid threats, can we make an effective contribution to collective security. Everything we have done in these first 100 days has focused on the biggest challenges we face. And we will continue to work. On Tuesday – the 100th day of this College – we will adopt an ambitious legal proposal on return. Return is a key element of the Migration and Asylum Pact. We will propose common rules for return – with a new European system of returns and mutual recognition of return decisions by Member States. We want to create a truly European system of return by proposing a list of simpler, clearer rules that prevent flight and facilitate the return of third-country nationals who have no right to stay. Entry bans will be imposed on those who are forcibly returned. We will be tougher where there are security risks. We will be firm, but we will also ensure that we act in full respect of our obligations under international law and fundamental rights. In conclusion: this Commission is ready to address today’s crises; we need speed, scale and determination. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to build a stronger, safer and more prosperous Europe. Let us seize this moment, because it is Europe’s moment.