EU von der Leyen: "Europe Must Respond More Actively to International Issues"

Suspicions of Russian Poisoning and China's Human Rights Issues Mentioned... "Europe Must Act"
'European Green Deal' Proposes Increasing Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Target from 40% to 55%

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Union (EU) Commission, urged member states on the 16th (local time) to take clearer stances and respond actively to international issues. She proposed reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030 compared to the 1990s to achieve the core policy 'European Green Deal' announced shortly after her inauguration.

At her first state of the union address since taking office in December last year, held at the European Parliament in Brussels, Belgium, von der Leyen outlined plans to overcome vulnerabilities revealed during the COVID-19 crisis and create a vibrant EU.

Von der Leyen said, "Our international system has gradually become paralyzed," adding, "Major powers are withdrawing from institutions or holding them hostage for their own interests." She emphasized, "Europe needs to take clear positions on international issues and act swiftly."

Referring to the suspected poisoning attack on Russian opposition activist Alexei Navalny, von der Leyen warned those who defend close ties with Russia. She stated, "We have seen such patterns in Georgia, Ukraine, Syria, Salisbury (UK), and election interference worldwide," adding, "These patterns will not change, and no gas pipeline will alter that."

She also announced plans to propose a European version of the 'Magnitsky Act,' a law enacted by the United States in 2012 to sanction Russian human rights abusers. Describing China as the most important yet most challenging relationship, she stressed, "Whether it is Hong Kong or the Uyghurs, we must raise our voices whenever human rights abuses occur."

Von der Leyen proposed increasing the EU's greenhouse gas emission reduction target from the original 40% to 55% compared to the 1990s. She added that 30% of the 750 billion euro EU recovery fund would be financed through green bonds issued to invest in environmentally friendly projects. She had announced the European Green Deal policy shortly after her inauguration in December last year.

Additionally, she pledged to enhance Europe's capacity to respond to COVID-19 and propose legal frameworks related to minimum wages to protect the European economy, workers, and businesses. She also stated that 20% of the EU recovery fund would be invested in digital projects to compete with the United States and China.

Regarding Brexit, she reiterated a warning against the recent UK government's introduction of the Internal Market Bill, stating that the withdrawal agreement cannot be unilaterally changed or ignored. She emphasized, "This is a matter of law, trust, and good faith."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.