European Commission President von der Leyen Emphasizes Regional Unity and EU Independence in State of the Union Address (EU/USA)

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her first State of the Union address since her reappointment in December 2024 at the European Parliament plenary session on September 10, 2025. In this important speech outlining the European Commission's policy direction for the next year, she focused on foreign affairs and defense from the beginning, calling this "Europe's moment of independence" to address geopolitical challenges such as the situations in Ukraine and Gaza, strongly urging unity among member states and the European Parliament where disagreements are prominent. Regarding response to the Trump administration, while clearly defending the tariff agreement with the US that has been strongly criticized by the left and far-right as "undoubtedly the best agreement," she emphasized that environmental and digital regulations are "matters for the EU to decide independently," demonstrating EU autonomy in US relations. For strengthening regional industrial competitiveness, new announcements were limited as many policies were already announced through the Competitiveness Compass and other initiatives. She reconfirmed financial support for strengthening clean technology production within the region and full implementation of "Made in Europe" public procurement under the Net Zero Industry Act. In the automotive sector, she proposed a new "Affordable Small Car Initiative" to counter Chinese-made EVs, announcing aims to promote widespread adoption of affordable small EVs manufactured within the region.