// LEADERS' VIEWS
URSULA VON DER LEYEN, PRESIDENT, EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Europe stands tall: Open, united and ready to lead F or decades, free trade has been a driver of global prosperity, it has lifted billions out of poverty
European innovation and boost again the entrepreneur spirit of Europe. This is the moment to stand up for our strengths and values. We do not invade our neighbours, and we do not punish them. On the contrary, there are twelve countries who absolutely want to become members of the European Union, that is about 150 million people. In Europe, children can go to good schools independent of their parents’ income; controversial debates at our universities are welcome; we consider freedom of science and research as fundamental, not only because it is a core value for us, but also because this is how excellence and innovation thrives … This is why we will make proposals to help [the best and brightest] ‘Choose Europe’. Because we want scientists and researchers from all over the world to make Europe their home – and to make Europe the home of innovation again. … Migration is a common European challenge, that requires a common European solution … First, we have to take control of numbers of illegal
arrivals. It is important that migration does not happen at a faster pace than our communities can keep up with. We will fulfil our international obligations … But it is us, Europeans, who decide, who comes to Europe and under what circumstances, and not the smugglers and traffickers. Since the start of this year, illegal border crossings are down by 30%. This shows that our engagement with our Southern neighbours delivers, and we will continue this work. Second, we have to implement the Migration Pact. We have a new body of law that helps us to put our house in order … And we need better results on returns. It cannot be that only 20% of those who have a negative asylum decision actually leave Europe … Being tough on illegal migration allows us to pave the way for the much-needed labour migration, because Europe should always be open to more talent and more skills. … Security for Europe also means doing more on our own defence. The threat posed by Russia will not go away, and we know that the American focus will increasingly shift … So, there is no doubt peace in Europe requires that we take much greater responsibility for our own defence. Already … we discussed to turbocharge our defence industrial capacity. But no one could imagine how much we would achieve in … a year: up to EUR 800 billion in investment for our common defence; all 27 Member States on board; new defence partnerships with Norway and soon the UK. We have done more for European defence in a single year than in several decades … … For a just and lasting peace, we must continue to stand with Ukraine, with more military and financial support, with more pressure on Russia – and yes, with a clear pathway for Ukraine to join our Union. Our message to Ukraine is clear: Your freedom is our freedom; your security is our security; and your future is in our Union. Speech at the 2025 EPP Congress, Valencia, 28 April 2025
and sustained the livelihoods of millions of European families. Now, global markets are shaken by the unpredictable tariff policy of the US administration … Tariffs are like taxes, they hurt consumers and business alike … Millions of citizens will face higher grocery bills, medicines will cost more, transportation will cost more, inflation will go up, and this is hurting in particular the most vulnerable citizens. Businesses – big and small – suffer from day one. Greater uncertainty, disruption of supply chains, burdensome bureaucracy, we cannot and must not allow this to happen. We have to double down on our hallmark policies of open markets, of win-win trade and investment partnerships, of free and fair trade. But in every crisis, there is also an opportunity. Not only is our Single Market the largest in the world, because its openness to the world is so much greater than that of the US or China, but we are also world champion in exports to GDP [gross domestic product]. Our companies need the global markets … We already have the largest network of free trade agreements, with 76 countries around the world, now the world of trade is turning towards us … They all want to deal with us because we are fair, reliable and we play by the rules … But the key to our prosperity is … to make business easy right here in Europe. Our Single Market is a safe harbour for European businesses, a place where they can grow strong before they set sail on global markets. But the vitality of the Single Market is held back by too many national barriers, fragmentation and bureaucracy … … If we remove all trade obstacles inside our Union, we could boost our GDP by as much as
10% … Europe was the cradle of innovation, let us free up
17 globalgovernanceproject.org
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