BRUSSELS – A small group of European Commission officials is working through the summer to give the Commission President Ursula von der Leyen enough to announce in her annual State of the European Union speech, which is scheduled for 16 September, Politico reports today.
Among these priorities are early benefits for EU candidate countries. Other priorities include limits on children’s social media use, plans to address cyberattacks and economic coercion, action on Chinese trade practices, and the bloc’s proposed €2 trillion budget.
“Leaders are also expected to discuss benefits for candidate countries before they formally join proposals being drawn up by Commission officials”, Politico reports.
The aim, it adds, is to keep candidates moving toward membership while reassuring skeptical governments and voters that new members won’t be admitted before they’re ready.
“Von der Leyen needs to show that her second Commission is getting things done while keeping her fragile parliamentary majority together and responding to populist parties accusing Brussels of ignoring voters”, Politico reports.
