Von der Leyen to outline EU priorities after backlash over Trump trade deal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will deliver her annual State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Sept. 10, setting the political agenda for the year ahead amid mounting criticism over her recent trade agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump.
Von der Leyen, who began her second five-year term last year, plans to focus on strengthening Europe’s defense posture and boosting economic competitiveness, especially in response to Russia’s war against Ukraine.
She has consistently pushed for increased military and financial support to Kyiv, along with tougher EU sanctions on Moscow.
But her leadership has faced renewed scrutiny after she negotiated a controversial trade deal with Trump in July at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland. Under the agreement, the EU agreed to eliminate tariffs on U.S. industrial goods, expand access to its agricultural market, and accept a 15% U.S. tariff on most EU exports—a sharp increase from pre-2022 rates.
Critics across the bloc called the deal one-sided. France’s then-Prime Minister Francois Bayrou called it "an act of submission," while others accused von der Leyen of giving in to U.S. pressure, according to Reuters.
EU officials defended the deal as a necessary compromise to avoid a full-blown trade war and maintain stability for European businesses. They also pointed to a lack of political will among EU leaders to confront Washington during a volatile period for European security.
Von der Leyen’s Commission has introduced several measures this year aimed at slashing bureaucracy and improving the global competitiveness of European industries. While some sectors welcomed the proposals, others criticized the EU for failing to implement key elements of a competitiveness strategy designed by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi.
Meanwhile, left-wing EU lawmakers and civil society groups accused von der Leyen of weakening environmental regulations and corporate accountability under the guise of deregulation. Ahead of her speech, a coalition of 470 NGOs issued a joint statement denouncing what they called the Commission’s "deregulation campaign."
