State of the European Union (SOTEU) 2023

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Publication Date 2023
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Summary:

The President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen delivered the fourth and last State of the Union (SOTEU) address of her mandate to the European Parliament on 13 September 2023.

Further information:

The delivery of State of the European Union (SOTEU) addresses during a plenary session of the European Parliament each September dates back to 2010. It takes stock of the achievements over the previous year and presents priorities for the year ahead.

This was the last SOTEU speech delivered by the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in her first mandate. The address focused on A Stronger and More Resilient European Union and highlighted issues such as the EU's support for Ukraine and its wider role in the global stage, the energy crisis, the green and digital transitions, the prospects for enlargement and EU reform, gender equality, social fairness, industry and competitiveness. It also focused on the existing economic challenges, including the labour and skills shortage, inflation and bureaucracy.
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Commentary and Analysis
European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS): Briefing, 07/09/2023: State of the Union address, European Parliament, 2023 https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document/EPRS_BRI(2023)751458
Bruegel: First Glance, 11/09/2023: The State of the European Union speech must address the return of economic policy trade-offs https://www.bruegel.org/first-glance/state-european-union-speech-must-address-return-economic-policy-trade-offs
Euronews, 12/09/2023: State of the European Union: How many promises from last year's speech did von der Leyen fulfil? https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/09/12/state-of-the-european-union-how-many-promises-from-last-years-speech-did-von-der-leyen-ful
Euronews, 13/09/2023: State of the European Union: Five takeaways from Ursula von der Leyen's speech https://www.euronews.com/my-europe/2023/09/13/state-of-the-european-union-five-takeaways-from-ursula-von-der-leyens-speech
Politico, 13/09/2023: Von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech in 5 charts https://www.politico.eu/article/state-of-the-european-union-speech-ursula-von-der-leyen-data-charts/
Slow Food: News, 13/09/2023: State of the Union 2023: EU Commission’s President ‘Omits’ the EU Farm to Fork https://www.slowfood.com/state-of-the-union-2023-eu-commissions-president-omits-the-eu-farm-to-fork/
European Environmental Bureau (EEB): Press Release, 13/09/2023: Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the Union speech conceals setbacks, delays and broken promises https://eeb.org/ursula-von-der-leyens-good-speech-conceals-setbacks-delays-and-broken-promises/
The Irish Times: Editorial, 13/09/2023: The Irish Times view on the EU’s state of the union address: von der Leyen makes her pitch https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/editorials/2023/09/13/the-irish-times-view-on-the-eus-state-of-the-union-address-von-der-leyen-makes-her-pitch/
European Policy Centre (EPC): Events, 13/09/2023: State of the Union 2023: Meeting the multiple challenges of our time? https://www.epc.eu/en/events/State-of-the-Union-2023-Meeting-the~528118
Clingendael: Article, 13/09/2023: 100 words on the upcoming EU State of the Union https://www.clingendael.org/publication/100-words-upcoming-eu-state-union
The Brussels Times, 13/09/2023: State of the Union 2023: What did von der Leyen say in her annual speech? https://www.brusselstimes.com/690125/state-of-the-union-2023-what-did-von-der-leyen-say-in-her-annual-speech
Institute of International & European Affairs (IIEA): Event, 13/09/2023: The State of the European Union 2023 https://www.iiea.com/events/the-state-of-the-european-union-2023
Atlantic Council: New Atlanticist blog, 14/09/2023: Reading between the lines of Ursula von der Leyen’s ambitious vision for the EU https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/new-atlanticist/reading-between-the-lines-of-ursula-von-der-leyens-ambitious-vision-for-the-eu/
Confederation of Swedish Enterprise: Article, 14/09/2023: Highs and lows in von der Leyen’s speech https://www.svensktnaringsliv.se/english/highs-and-lows-in-von-der-leyen-speech_1202733.html
FEDIL (Luxembourg): Press Release, 14/09/2023: FEDIL’s view on President von der Leyen’s 2023 State of the Union Address https://fedil.lu/en/press-releases/fedils-view-on-president-von-der-leyens-2023-state-of-the-union-address/
Wilfried Martens Centre: Blog, 14/09/2023: A Forward-Looking State of the Union Speech Outines the EU’s Future https://www.martenscentre.eu/blog/a-forward-looking-state-of-the-union-speech-outines-the-eus-future/
Social Europe, 15/09/2023: Ursula von der Leyen — the accidental president https://www.socialeurope.eu/ursula-von-der-leyen-the-accidental-president
Foreign Policy: Argument, 21/09/2023: Ursula von der Leyen Is Europe’s Ruthlessly Efficient Machine https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/09/21/ursula-von-der-leyen-eu-europe-commission-president-second-term/
Centre for European Reform (CER): Insight, 26/09/2023: State of the Union: from Putin's war to a trade war? https://www.cer.eu/insights/state-union-putins-war-trade-war
News
Agriland (Ireland), 11/09/2023: EU State of the Union speech must include agriculture – Copa Cogeca https://www.agriland.ie/farming-news/eu-state-of-the-union-speech-must-include-agriculture-copa-cogeca/
Politico: Live Blog: State of the Union 2023: Live updates on von der Leyen’s speech to the EU (13 September 2023) https://www.politico.eu/article/ursula-von-der-leyen-state-of-the-union-speech-eu-2023-live-updates/
Deutsche Welle, 13/09/2023: Von der Leyen: EU has matured into a 'geopolitical union' https://p.dw.com/p/4WGgn
EurActiv, 13/09/2023: SOTEU: Von der Leyen addresses Europe as elections approach https://www.euractiv.com/section/all/news/soteu-von-der-leyen-addresses-europe-as-elections-approach/
Reuters, 13/09/2023: Von der Leyen announces China car probe, paints herself as EU business champion https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/von-der-leyen-defends-track-record-ahead-eu-elections-2023-09-13/
RFI News, 13/09/2023: China, Ukraine, green energy: EU chief sets out priorities in state of union speech https://www.rfi.fr/en/europe/20230913-china-ukraine-wind-power-eu-ursula-von-der-leyen-lays-out-priorities-in-state-of-union-speech
RTÉ News, 13/09/2023: Von der Leyen defends track record ahead of EU elections https://www.rte.ie/news/europe/2023/0913/1404946-eu-speech/
Malta Today, 13/09/2023: Von der Leyen calls for EU expansion to 'complete our union' https://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/ewropej/124921/ursula_von_der_leyen_to_deliver_state_of_the_union_speech1
Associated Press (AP News), 13/09/2023: EU chief announces major review saying the bloc should grow to over 30 members https://apnews.com/article/eu-balkans-ukraine-moldova-enlargement-russia-security-ec738ab07b2256d792d90193b301e9df
The Guardian, 13/09/2023: EU needs to prepare for enlargement now, says European Commission chief https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/13/eu-needs-to-prepare-for-enlargement-now-says-european-commission-chief-ursula-von-der-leyen-ukraine
Le Monde, 14/09/2023: EU's von der Leyen makes pledges to right wing on environment https://www.lemonde.fr/en/international/article/2023/09/14/eu-s-von-der-leyen-makes-pledges-to-right-wing-on-environment_6135229_4.html
Official
European Commission: State of the Union 2023 https://state-of-the-union.ec.europa.eu/state-union-2023_en
European Commission: 2023 State of the Union Address by President von der Leyen (13 September 2023) https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/ov/speech_23_4426
European Parliament: Press Release, 13/09/2023: Parliament strengthens rules on integrity, transparency and accountability https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20230911IPR04912/
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