About: SOTEU
Cohesion – the big ‘absent’ from Juncker’s SOTEU speech
European regions and cities were left wondering about the noticeable absence of Cohesion policy in Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union speech in the European Parliament on Wednesday (12 September). They were particularly irked by his failure to highlight the positive role of regions in handling migration.
MEPs trigger Article 7 against Hungary after evasive Juncker speech
MEPs voted en masse to trigger Article 7 proceedings against Hungary on Wednesday (12 September), although Jean-Claude Juncker's early morning Strasbourg speech failed to send much of a clear signal against Budapest's alleged rule of law violations.
Juncker paints ‘big picture’ of EU’s global role
Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stayed away from major legislative proposals in his annual address to Parliament, preferring to focus on the “big picture” of how the EU can assert its power in a hostile international environment.
Juncker goes to war against disinformation and online terrorist content
The European Commission is set to pursue a crackdown on the spread of online terrorist content and disinformation, its president Jean-Claude Junker announced in his State of the Union address on Wednesday (12 September).
‘Scientifically right’: Juncker backs deeper carbon cuts in SOTEU speech
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged the European Union on Wednesday (12 September) to raise its goals for limiting climate change, but did not mention the forthcoming 2050 strategy. EURACTIV’s partner Climate Home News reports.
Juncker to propose breaking dollar’s dominance in global markets
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker is expected to propose today (12 September) a bigger role for the euro in international markets and more efficient decision-making in EU foreign policy in his state of the union speech, European diplomats said.
Judging Juncker: From first speech to last
Before Jean-Claude Juncker's final State of the Union address to this European Parliament on Wednesday (12 September), EURACTIV takes a look at his first speech from 2015 to see how the Commission president has done over the last three years.
Brexit absent from Commissioners’ input for state of the EU speech
Negotiations about the UK's orderly exit and future relations with the EU did not feature in the discussions the European Commission’s top echelons held in preparation for President Jean-Claude Juncker’s last state of the union speech before next year's European elections.
Elections: What should German EU policy look like?
The outcome of the German elections will also shape the future of the EU. What do German associations, unions and civil society organisations demand from the future government with regards to EU financial, social and trade policies? EURACTIV Germany reports.
Commission ignores calls for objectives in new industrial strategy
The European Commission did not include new strategic objectives and targets in its industrial package unveiled on Monday (18 September), stressing instead that a master plan already exists for European industry.
Juncker’s pledge to ‘make the planet great again’ fails to satisfy
Environmental groups and MEPs were left disappointed by Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union address on Wednesday (13 September), after the Commission president only mentioned climate change anecdotally.
Juncker’s trade push starts with Australia, New Zealand
As anticipated in recent weeks, trade topped the Juncker Commission’s priorities for the rest of its mandate.
Juncker criticises lack of solidarity with Africa
In his State of the Union speech, Commission President Juncker reminded member states to contribute to the EU's Emergency Trust Fund for Africa. EURACTIV France reports.
On the eurozone, Juncker goes wide but not deep
In his speech on the State of the Union, Jean-Claude Juncker insisted on the extension of the eurozone, but not on its deepening. He fears the two-speed Europe defended by Emmanuel Macron. EURACTIV France reports.
‘No second class consumers’: Juncker slams double food quality in the EU
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker criticised double standards of food quality in his address to Parliament on Wednesday morning (13 September), saying that there should be no “second class consumers” in the single market.
Juncker to push for new trade agreements in Union speech
The Commission president will ask for mandates to negotiate new free trade agreements, and will propose a framework to screen foreign investment, as part of a trade package to be announced during his state of the EU address on 13 September, officials told EURACTIV.com.
EU puts ‘ever closer union’ on hold
As the EU prepares to celebrate its 60th anniversary, the “ever closer union” principle that underpinned the European project is being put on hold as the bloc struggles to survive its annus horribilis.
Berlin reluctant to top up Juncker’s piggy bank
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker wants the amount of funding made available by the EU’s investment plan, aka the Juncker Plan, to be doubled. But he faces strong opposition from Germany. EURACTIV’s partner Der Taggespiegel reports.
EU ‘ready to explore’ free InterRail tickets for European teenagers
The European Commission is considering handing out free InterRail tickets to all young Europeans when they turn 18, following up on a proposal made by Members of the European Parliament to counter the wave of euroscepticism spreading across the continent.
France leading the campaign for EU military HQ
France and Germany both support the idea of creating a European military headquarters, but Paris has the most to gain from the project. EURACTIV France reports.
Eurosceptics took Twitter by storm during Juncker speech
More Eurosceptics tweeted about Jean-Claude Juncker’s State of the Union speech on Wednesday (14 September) than people in favour of the EU, a study revealed.
Free Wi-Fi in cities? ‘We panicked for five minutes. Then we realised it’s not serious’
Telecoms companies were as surprised as anyone when Jean-Claude Juncker announced Wednesday (14 September) that the European Commission wants every city and village in the EU to have free public Wi-Fi in some places by 2020.
Brussels eyes investment and capital markets to revive weak growth
Against the backdrop of weak output growth in Europe, the European Commission announced on Wednesday (14 September) that it will double the funds for its ‘successful’ investment plan and urged Parliament and the member states to adopt the Capital Markets Union proposals to relaunch the real economy.