Dear colleagues, chers collègues, liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,
I have just delivered this year’s State of the Union address in front of the European Parliament. I was proud to outline the historic achievements we have made collectively and I laid out the work we still need to finish and the challenges that lay ahead.
This speech was a testament and a tribute to your work. Europe could not have achieved or overcome so much without the professionalism, knowledge and commitment to Europe of each and every one of you. I know for many of you this has meant sacrifices, new ways of working and going above and beyond the call of duty. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all from the bottom of my heart. I am grateful and proud to lead this institution to work with you all every day.
Your track record speaks for itself. Four years ago, we set out the most transformative programmes in generations to make our Union greener, more digital and more geopolitical – for today and for the future. Despite all the challenges, we have delivered on more than 90% of the 2019 Political Guidelines. And we went even further when we had to do – from supporting Ukraine and welcoming millions of Ukrainians with open arms to procuring vaccines and purchasing energy.
But our work is far from over and we have to stay focused on the job at hand. This means turning proposals into legislation and then focusing on implementation. The Commission will also table a very limited number of new initiatives that reflect our existing commitments or respond to emerging challenges. In parallel, we must also start preparing for the future – whether by supporting the countries on their way to our Union or thinking about how to improve the way our Union works.
In less than 300 days, Europeans will take to the polls. It will be a time to decide on what kind of future and what kind of Europe they want. So this is a time to deliver for today and prepare for tomorrow. Your work fills me with great confidence that together we can make good on that promise.
Thank you for everything that you do.
Yours sincerely,
Ursula VON DER LEYEN
President of the European Commission
