Ursula von der Leyen calls for EU institutional and security reform

In her State of the Union address to the European Parliament, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addressed the need for institutional and strategic reform to meet modern geopolitical realities. She argued that the Union’s current decision-making systems and institutions were designed for a different era and have not kept pace with contemporary security challenges, including the war in Ukraine and shifting relations with the United States.

To address these issues, von der Leyen announced plans for a new European security strategy and a European emergency security protocol, while emphasizing the importance of cooperation with NATO.

Regarding migration, the President proposed a new European Emergency Response Framework. This framework aims to provide temporary flexibility in standard procedures during instances where mass movements of people are engineered or weaponized. She also called for the full implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum and pledged to strengthen Frontex to accelerate returns. Additionally, she introduced a Mediterranean Youth Skills and Jobs initiative to address employment opportunities and legal migration in neighboring regions.