Tag: Ursula von der Leyen

The statement made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 28 October 2022.

Mr President, dear Aleksandar,

It is wonderful to be back here in Serbia. I am very glad to be at this very special place, which I think shows the profound bonds we do have and our great cooperation. Today, we are watching the progress of the interconnector between Serbia and Bulgaria. It is great to see that this important project is taking shape. Indeed, you have just mentioned the funding that is coming from the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. It is round about 80%. And what we want to see is not only gas flowing from Bulgaria to Serbia, but this project will be one step further to bring us closer to each other. It will open Serbia’s gas market for diversification. It will improve Serbia’s energy security. And it will be important to see that we are very much looking forward to having this project now completed in hopefully one year. So we will press on both sides – I know that it takes two to tango, in this project, too – so that we are on time, because it is needed. We need to diversify our gas supplies. We see that dependency that is too much focused on Russian gas is not good. We have felt it bitterly during the last months. So the diversification away to reliable suppliers is paramount for us.

I am very glad that we are also here today with an energy project, because we are already together in an Energy Union. By that I mean that, whatever the European Union does, the Western Balkans are included because we are so much interconnected that, in our Energy Union, whatever the one or the other does has an influence on us. If something happens in the European Union, it has an influence in the Western Balkans. If here something, for example an improvement with the gas interconnector, happens, it has a positive influence for the whole European Union because we are in an Energy Union.

And we have been working very hard during the last months in this Energy Union to master the energy crisis. Just a reminder for you: Russia has cut 100 billion cubic metres of gas and we have been able to compensate. We have been able to compensate by diversifying away to other reliable suppliers. Now, we invite everyone, and Serbia too, to join us in our EU joint procurement of gas because we want to use our market power as the Energy Union to achieve better results on the global market where there is a lot of competition for gas, mainly LNG, and to be there as a European Energy Union exerting our market power for better results on the prices.

You are here in Serbia as affected as the rest of the European Union by the difficulties we have in the energy market overall. So there is another step that we are taking forward. We have decided that we want to take two steps: One is a short-term support, not only for the Member States, but also for the Western Balkans. And here, I am happy to announce that EUR 165 million in grants for immediate budget support are available for Serbia. And I think this is absolutely necessary so that Serbia, like other countries, is able to support vulnerable families, vulnerable households and vulnerable businesses, small and medium enterprises, so that they can cope with the high energy prices. But this is not a long-term solution. It is not a sustainable solution. What we need is investment.

And therefore, Mr President, dear Aleksandar, the second part, I think, is at least as important. These are EUR 500 million in grants in investment in infrastructure. Infrastructure like we see it here. Infrastructure that is badly needed. For example, if I may quote a few topics that are on our list, the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor – that is fascinating. It is going to be electricity from Italy to Bulgaria via Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina. All of it will be interconnected so that we can help each other, that we can serve each other and that we are never going to be again in such a bottleneck situation as we are today.

Another project that is very dear to my heart is that we want to support Serbia together in building a new, a modern and more energy-efficient University Children’s Hospital in Belgrade. This is a project on which I am very glad that we can advance together. Let me give you one figure: 40% of the emissions we lose go through buildings that are badly insulated. So the other way round is also true: The better, the more energy efficient we build buildings, the better it is for the climate. But of course, the better it is also for our energy efficiency. This hospital should be completed by 2025.

And then indeed what I just saw, and Mr President, you explained to me the third element that is so important, that is the gas interconnector between Serbia and North Macedonia. Here too, this will allow to complete the region. All this is in our projects and in this package.

Finally, a last point: This energy crisis stems from the atrocious war that Russia is leading against Ukraine. And this war is redefining the security landscape of our entire continent. So it is for the European Union of utmost importance to invest even further in our Western Balkan partners – more than ever before because these investments are investments for the future. They are investments in peace. They are investment in the stability, in the prosperity of our shared continent. And let me assure you that the European Union is and will remain Serbia’s most important political and economic partner.

Due to the good progress that was made in the past, Serbia is one of the most advanced countries on the European path. And as you know, we want you to take now the next further very important steps towards the European Union. We know the topics, we will discuss them later bilaterally – be it the independence and the accountability of the judiciary or the fight against corruption. I know that you are very engaged in that. And may I thank you, Mr President, for your latest announcement that the Serbian visa policy will be aligned with that of the European Union by the end of the year. This is an important announcement, many thanks for that. This is absolutely the right direction to head forward.

Last but not least, we will have tonight a bilateral meeting. I think there are other topics on the agenda. If I may express a deep wish, that is the wish that we will have progress in the Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia. Here too, I know it is always necessary to have two sides. But we all know by experience that only with dialogue are we able to solve conflicts and to move forward in an acceptable way for all of us. So my comment in the very end is: I know that Serbia’s future is in the European Union. I know that our European Union is not complete without Serbia. We share the same commitment to our common European future. Therefore, let us continue the hard work for this common future.

Thank you very much for having invited me here today.

The speech made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 28 October 2022.

Dear Members of the Presidency-elect,

Honourable Members of the joint collegium,

Incoming Members of Parliament,

Dear representatives of businesses and civil society,

EU Ambassadors,

And of course, Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is such a pleasure for me to be here with you in Sarajevo at this historic moment for Bosnia and Herzegovina. But before I speak about this beautiful city and this wonderful country, allow me to take you for one small moment to the city where I was born and where I live today. And that is the city of Brussels. In the heart of Brussels, there is a piece of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a huge, colourful mural, painted by a young artist from Sarajevo – whose name is Rikardo Druškić. It brings light and it brings joy from the Balkans into the sometimes very grey weather of Brussels. But beyond the beauty of it, the mural sends a very clear message: It says that Bosnia and Herzegovina has a place in the heart of the European Union. You are part of Europe. So you belong in our Union. And it was so moving to see the European flag shine on three landmark monuments in Sarajevo, in Banja Luka and in Mostar – to celebrate our proposal to make Bosnia and Herzegovina a candidate country to join the European Union. This is your success. And you can be so proud of it. Because our flag, that was visible this night, will be your flag, too. It belongs in this country. And this is why I came here today. This is what I want to say to all the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina. You are the future of the European Union. Your future is the Europe Union.

And this is not only because you achieved candidate status. It is also because the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina deeply believe in Europe. Over three quarters of your citizens support EU membership. There is a solid majority in favour of it in all parts of the country. And this faith in Europe is even stronger among young people. For young people in this country, among others, Europe means economic prosperity. It means, for example, freedom of movement. But it is not just that. The path towards our Union is also the path towards a better Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is about turning this country into the country of the young people’s dreams. There is an entire generation of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina who are born after the war. They respect the past. But they do not want their country only to be defined and divided by its tragic past. They want a country that is united. They want a country that has a common sense of purpose. Born from the experience of the past, but open and ready for the future. And membership to the European Union is part of this common purpose. And you, the new leadership of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of this country, you are the people who can make their dream come true. You are the ones who have the key for the dream of these young people in your hands. With your political work, and it is a huge responsibility, the country has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to move forward. This is Bosnia and Herzegovina’s moment, and I would like to encourage everyone here, everyone of you present here and working for this country, to seize this moment.

This is also the meaning of our recommendation to grant candidate status to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Once again, from the bottom of my heart: My utmost congratulations to what you have achieved. It is your success. Without your work, it would not have been possible. The last four years, I know, have not always been easy. Because of COVID-19 for example, because of the war in Ukraine, because of deep political divisions. And yet, even in difficult circumstances, progress has been made – on public procurement for example, on achieving membership of the Union Civil Protection Mechanism for example. Or another success earlier this week on Europol cooperation – that you achieved. And these examples should teach a very simple lesson. The lesson is: If there is a political will, there is a way to make it happen. That is the lesson to learn from the past. Now is the time for the country to come together again and advance on the path towards the European Union. I will not dwell on the eight reform steps that we have clearly outlined in our recommendation. We all know that passing these reforms will not be easy. But I would like to invite you to always set your sights on what lies at the end of this path. Because Bosnia and Herzegovina, with your work, will be a country, for example, where everyone is equal before the law. It will be a country where young people unfold their talent and their hard work will lead into success. They do love their country. They want opportunities here in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It will be a country that is attractive for investors. You have the key in your hands for that. It will be a country where everyone feels represented – young and old, people who identify as Bosniaks, as Serbs and Croats, as well as people who just feel citizens of this country. The reforms do not only matter because they lead into the European Union, the reforms matter because they will make your country a better place for all its people.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The door of the European Union is open. Please seize the opportunity and use this invitation. It is up to you now to walk together through this open door. The more you do that, the more you help me to support your country, Bosnia and Herzegovina, for example to defend the candidate status in the European Council and to advocate for your country. And I know I can rely on you. This is your historic responsibility as the new leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina. That is a lot of responsibility on your shoulders – I know it. But I am positive that you are able to carry it. And rest assured: We will always be at your side. This is my personal promise. Our proposal for candidate status is a very clear political statement. And we will support you and your reforms and your work, and accompany you along the way.

A good part of the work is already ongoing. I remember that, one year ago, during my last visit, I crossed an EU-funded bridge that links Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Later today, I will inaugurate the Ivan Tunnel. It will of course improve the connection of Mostar to Sarajevo and, further north, to Budapest. But this Ivan Tunnel is much more than that, it is very symbolic because it shows that Bosnia and Herzegovina lies at the heart of Europe, and you should also lie at the heart of our trade and our economic achievements. I think this cooperation – that we are enabling, that we are opening not only physically with the Ivan Tunnel but also by making sure that the trade and the economic exchange between us is getting more seamless and more intense – is even more crucial at a time when this horrible Russian war in Ukraine is raging. We see that Russia is not only waging war against Ukraine, it is also waging war on the energy side. And the energy problems are hitting vulnerable families as much as they are hitting for example businesses and small and medium enterprises. For us in the European Union, it is important to stick together with you. Therefore, as that in the European Union, I would like to announce here in Bosnia and Herzegovina, that we are putting together an energy security package for the Western Balkans. It will bring EUR 70 million of support in grants for Bosnia and Herzegovina. This is important now, as immediate support, for example to support vulnerable families and vulnerable businesses, small and medium enterprises which have a hard time. And there is a second part in it that is at least as important: This is – for the medium term, for the Western Balkans – EUR 500 million in grants for infrastructure. Infrastructure for the future so that together we get more energy independent. Investments in interconnectors, for example. Investments in renewables because every kilowatt hour from renewable energy that is produced here is clean energy at home that brings good jobs for the region and makes us energy independent and gives us security of supply. I am speaking about solar, I am speaking about wind or biomass power plants. These are energy projects that can be built in less than one year. So here is the opportunity to seize it and to really take this investment and to make a big step forward.

I know that many people in the country feel anxious because of the war that is raging. Not only has Russia launched an assault on basic international rules that have been providing peace and security for the region since 1995, but it is also having a direct impact on the economic situation of our European Union and thus on all people in the Western Balkans and the people in Bosnia and Herzegovina. As much as the challenge is out there, I think the best solution is in an even closer cooperation and to stand together. It is in your immediate interest to work closer together in our Single Market and to work towards the EU membership. Because we all know by experience that, whatever the challenge is – and we have gone through many challenges in the last year –, if we stand together, if we work together, we are strong and we are unbeatable. And we should use this strength in this very crucial moment.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

These are times of rapid change in the Western Balkans and in Europe. As you know, we have opened accession negotiations with Albania and North Macedonia. We have also granted candidate status to Ukraine and Moldova, and we have recognised Georgia’s European perspective. What I want to say is that there is new momentum, there is a wind of change that brings the European family closer together. And now is the time for Bosnia and Herzegovina to move ahead, too. Let us be honest, it seemed impossible, we could not think about it, that we would reach the candidate status, if we think one year back [it seemed impossible one year ago, we could not think about it, that we would reach the candidate status]. And yet today, I am here with you in Sarajevo, we can celebrate together that you have achieved the candidate status. Therefore, let me tell you again: If there is a will, then there is a way to achieve your dream. And if Bosnia and Herzegovina finds unity of purpose, there is nothing that can stop you.

Let me give you a little example for that, which is a big one in its effect. This summer, the success story of one young girl from Mostar literally made waves throughout the world. It was and is 16-year old swimmer Lana Pudar who won, as you know, the European gold medal in the women’s 200-metre butterfly and broke all Bosnia and Herzegovina’s records. Her story is the story of her country. It was not easy for her to train and to reach this enormous success. For example, she could not train in the city that lacks an Olympic-size swimming pool. But Lana has made it against all odds. And now, because of her success, a new Olympic swimming pool will be built in Mostar. Lana has become a symbol, not only for her hometown, not only for her community, but she has become a symbol all across the country. Her victory has been celebrated by all people of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in all entities and across all boundaries. This is the dream of your young people. This is the dream of your country. This is the dream to be united. United in Bosnia and Herzegovina’s diversity, united with your neighbours in one European family. And believe me, as with Lana, this dream can be realised. This dream can be realised if you take the responsibility, if we stand together and if we make the best of the responsibility the people have given you. So I want you to know that I will always be at your side. I know that a lot of work is ahead of you. But this is the moment to seize it.

Many thanks for your patience, for listening to me. And please join us in working together.

Thank you very much.

The speech made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 28 October 2022.

Distinguished guests,
Colleagues,
Activists,
Investors,
and leaders across the field of sustainability.

I am delighted to open this year’s Sustainable Investment Summit.

Since we met last year, global economic growth forecasts may have weakened. But our collective commitment to building a sustainable economy has not.

In fact, the business, security, and moral case for the green transition has only become stronger. The same fateful week when Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the leading authority on climate change, the IPCC, issued a stark warning to the global community. They demonstrated that the climate is changing faster than our capacity to adapt.

The message could not be clearer: We must speed up sustainable investments, and increase their scope. Now more than ever, despite Russia’s attempt to disrupt the international order, the world must remain united in our fight for a peaceful, fair and prosperous future.

I would like to focus on two points today, that you will cover in more depth in the panels.

First, on public investment, which is needed to mobilise private capital.

Second, on empowering workers with skills to drive the green transition.

Let’s start with public investment. Our immediate priority is tackling the energy crisis, which risks becoming an economic and social crisis. Already at last year’s summit, I spoke about the unsustainability of the energy system, which is still dominated by fossil fuels. Since Russia’s brutal attack on Ukraine, this has become even more obvious. Putin is using fossil fuels as a weapon against Europe. But Europe will not be blackmailed. We will not compromise on our values.

We are determined to end our dependence on Russian fossil fuels, once and for all, and fast. By diversifying supply, saving energy, and accelerating the roll-out of renewables. Two figures: Last year, 41% of Europe’s gas imports came from Russia. Now, this figure is down to 9% pipeline gas. We were able to compensate these losses through increased supply by our trusted partners – like the US and Norway. In parallel we have filled our gas storages to over 90%. This is significantly higher than it was last year. And we have managed to save 15% of the gas consumption. But we have to go and steer the medium and long-term transition. We have proposed REPowerEU, an investment support to cut our dependence on Russian fossil fuels by accelerating the deployment of renewables. Renewable energy is not only good for the climate, it is also good for our independence.

It is clean energy produced at home. Gas pipelines are being built fit-for-purpose for green hydrogen. Interconnectors are being completed to create a Europe-wide electricity grid, to support the mass deployment of wind and solar. So, we are investing in the infrastructure and technology needed for a full transition to a low-carbon economy.

REPowerEU will come as additional firepower and acceleration, on top of the recovery and resilience plans of EU Member States. To date, the Commission has given the green light to nearly 500 billion euros from NextGenerationEU, of which half support the green transition. This includes measures in sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, and investments in renewables and grids. For example, in France’s plan, 85.000 ecological bonuses have already been disbursed to support the uptake of clean vehicles. And this is just the start. Because much of our public investment is designed to help de-risk and mobilise private capital. Like in Italy’s plan, where NextGenerationEU funds are being used to boost their National Innovation Fund. This is to finance private investments that have a positive impact on research and innovation for a low-carbon economy.

The measure in Italy aims to support 250 small and medium-sized enterprises with 700 million euros in sustainable investment. This is the right way to go, because we need entrepreneurs and private investment to help get the job done. That is why we are here today. The green innovation is here. The public investment is here. And the path is clear. This is a truly exciting moment for all of us who believe in sustainable progress.

Which brings me to my second point: human capital. This is a core theme of today’s summit. And for very good reason. There are entrepreneurs with big projects and dreams, and companies with ambitious plans to decarbonise, who simply cannot find the professionals with the green or digital skills to work with them. In Europe right now, we have the strongest labour market in decades, but at the same time we have a shortage of the right skills. This is a trend that has picked up especially in the last two years, as we recovered from the pandemic lockdowns. The Munich-based IFO Institute has found a growing shortage of skilled workers in almost every EU Member State, across economic sectors – from manufacturing to services. For example in construction, which is a pivotal sector for the clean energy transition, nearly 35% of EU firms report impairments due to a shortage of skilled workers.

That is why I have proposed to make 2023 the European Year of Skills, to focus our attention and sustainable investment on this crucial issue. At European level, we have set targets on re- and up-skilling and made available large amounts of EU funding: nearly 1.5 billion euros in NextGenerationEU so far, and 4.2 billion euros from the European Social Fund.

But it is about more than funding. It is about bringing industry and training providers together, employer’s associations with trade unions. The goal is to better match skilling strategies with the economy’s needs in our labour market. This is an approach we are pioneering with the Pact for Skills. We have created 12 large-scale partnerships offering skilling opportunities to 6 million EU citizens of working age.

For example, nearly 1500 graduates and workers have already received training in the offshore renewable energy sector. This is great news. Because offshore wind, for example in the Baltic and North Sea, is a huge and clean power source. Both for Europe’s energy independence from Russia. And to meet our climate ambitions. Because it is people and their know-how who drive positive change.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

If we take a step back, we have identified where investment is needed. In clean energy. In green tech and skills. And the list goes on, for we haven’t even spoken about biodiversity. The potential of green innovation and growth is immense. But to unlock this potential, we need to shift the entire financial system – away from unsustainable practices, towards investments that are truly future-proof.

The EU has created the most advanced sustainable finance framework globally. The EU is working hard to walk the talk on sustainable investment. For example, we are on track to be the world’s largest issuer of green bonds, to finance Europe’s climate-related reforms and investments. So far, we have issued 28 billion euros in green bonds, continuously attracting significant oversubscription for our issuances. This is a boost not only to Europe’s transition, but to the green bond market itself, as investors will have access to a very liquid green curve over time.

Sustainability is much more than the right thing to do. It is also the safest and smartest investment we can make. Betting on a low-carbon economy, that gives back to nature more than it takes, and reinforces our security, is the most certain economic trend in the coming years and decades.

Thank you for your leadership.

Thank you for your pledges.

And I wish you an exciting Summit.

The speech made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 27 October 2022.

Thank you very much, dear Prime Minister, dear Edi,

It is very good to be back here in Tirana. So much has happened since my last visit. It is just a year ago, I think, since I came last time to Tirana. In July, you started the accession negotiations with the European Union. And I was very glad to be with you in this historic moment. It was a touching moment, a very special moment. But let me repeat what I said at that time: It is your success. It is the result of many years of hard work done by Albania and the Albanian people. Years of patience, too. I remember that vividly, of course. You maintained a very strong focus on the European path, on the process. And therefore, this is now paying off with the accession negotiations. You have shown time and again your commitment to the values of the European Union. You are fully aligned with the European Union’s response to Russia’s brutal war of aggression. I must say it is exemplary how Albania has been actively defending the rules-based international order in the UN Security Council. I really thank you for this clear commitment. This honours you. It shows time and again that we are a community of shared values.

Albania is now firmly moving forward on its European Union’s path. The screening process that has started is on track. The latest enlargement report that has just recently been published shows all the progress that Albania is making. You are strengthening the rule of law, with important reforms of your judicial system, for which you actually managed to build a cross-party consensus, and I really thank you for that. Because we know by experience that this is a precondition, but it is not easy, it takes a lot of strength to do that. And it is the right way to go forward. You have adopted new measures to ensure equality and inclusion in your society. Your economy has come back strong after COVID. These are all very tangible and very visible achievements. And these are achievements in a very challenging time. I am talking of course about Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the terrible cruelty and destruction that it is bringing to the Ukrainian people. Russia is breaking international law and disrespecting the UN Charter. And we also see and feel that Russia is using energy as a weapon, and by that it is manipulating the market. And of course, we all feel the knock-on effects of the rising energy prices and the unstable security of supply of energy. Fortunately, as you have said, Albania is completely independent from Russian gas, due to your hydropower system. But of course, the electricity that comes to Albania is influenced by the disturbances that we see in the energy market – the skyrocketing prices. And thus, it is also affecting your country; it is also affecting Albania. In the European Union, we have decided that the only possible response is unity and solidarity. As we are in this together, the response, together with Albania, is unity and solidarity.

We are in an Energy Union already. We are putting forward now an energy support package for the Western Balkans. We are doing the same in the European Union. It includes, first of all, direct budget support to address the impact of high energy prices that it has on families and businesses as you have said. There will be EUR 80 million of grants. And if I understood it correctly, you have a system in place that is good to support families and small and medium enterprises in this difficult time. The second part is not looking at the immediate support that will be accessible from January on. But the second part looks into the mid and long term – the support for the energy system: Here, we are talking about EUR 500 million in grants to invest in energy infrastructure for the whole region. It is going to be channelled through the Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans. And it is already at work here. Indeed, I saw the beginning of the railway that is being built. But for me, it is also very important that we invest in renewable energy. Because renewable energy is home-grown; it gives us independence; it creates good jobs here in the region; and it is good for the climate. Investment will go into the floating solar power plant in Vau i Dejës. The modernisation of the Fierza hydroelectric power plant. I was stunned to see that it produces one quarter of the overall electricity production, and also to see for example the energy renovation of the campus of the University of Tirana. These are only few examples. But they show the direction of travel.

Dear Prime Minister, dear Edi, I think, once again, Albania can be proud of its achievements. Because indeed, from your words, but more from your deeds, you prove that your people have shown not only vision but also resilience. You are on track on your way to the European Union. And therefore, from my part also: Congratulations to the fact that on 6 December, we are going to meet again, here in Tirana, with the European Council and we will have the Western Balkans Summit here in Tirana. It is going to be a very important meeting. I am very much looking forward to that. And many thanks again for the hospitality today.

The speech made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 24 October 2022.

Dear Prime Minister De Croo,

Dear Bill Gates,

Distinguished guests,

It is so good to see you again Bill, because the last time we met was just a month ago in New York at the Global Goalkeepers event. I was very moved by your foundation’s recognition of Europe’s leadership on global health and the fight against the COVID-19. The award is truly a collective one. It belongs to all Europeans who showed such dedication during the pandemic – from the frontline workers in our hospitals and essential services, to the scientists who developed the life-saving vaccines.

Today, we are joined by many of you here, from around the world, who are committed to global health and equity. So I would like to use this occasion to reflect on the experience of the pandemic, not from a medical point of view but from the point of view of a policymaker. And I would like to give a sober assessment of what I think went well and where we need to do better in future. I have six lessons that we took.

The first lesson, not surprisingly, is the utmost importance of solidarity and cooperation. Let me start with the European experience. When the COVID-19 virus made landfall in Europe, things got really tough at the beginning. Some Member States chose to close their borders for life-saving material and equipment. There was painful competition for protective equipment, ventilators and other medical supplies between the different Member States. Vaccine nationalism became the norm around the world. I can tell you – we Europeans had our tough and painful public discussions. But at a certain point, the European Union decided to take a different path – the path of solidarity and openness. We convinced Member States not to close their borders but to share equipment and personnel. We decided to buy vaccines together and not to compete with each other. We started the vaccination campaign on the exact same day in all our 27 Member States – yes, we started with low numbers, and that was heavily criticised, but we had a fair distribution. Regardless whether you are a larger Member State or a small one, a wealthy one or a not so wealthy one. We decided not to close our borders for vaccine exports but to introduce a transparency mechanism. And at this point, many, many thanks to you Prime Minister, dear Alexander De Croo. You have been insisting on staying open for exports because you knew how important that is for the trust of the pharmaceutical industry, depending on where they are located. Today, over 80% of the European Union’s adult population is fully vaccinated. While at the same time, we have exported two-thirds of the vaccines produced in Europe to the rest of the world. Solidarity and openness were the absolute pre-conditions to this success.

My second lesson: Science does not exist in a vacuum. I believe it was no coincidence that the safest and most effective vaccines were developed and rolled out rapidly in open societies. Science depends on cooperation, it depends on education, on the protection of intellectual property rights, of course on proper data sharing. But it also depends on individual mobility for example, freedom to move, and of course on the regulatory environment and on translating results into products, services and policies. All these factors empower scientists to do their best work, and enable society to reap the benefits. My colleagues and I benefited enormously from the collective wisdom of scientific advice – from you, Professor Peter Piot, you were my personal COVID-19 advisor, the way you gave me guidance and advise on a daily basis was outstanding; from my group of COVID-19 science advisors, handpicked by you, Peter; and also from the platform of 27 Member State government advisors we created. So it is transparency and accountability, our freedom of speech and the freedom of science that enable good policymaking and innovation. These are the values that democratic societies depend on and nurture. So it was democracies that developed the life-saving effective vaccines and that were best able to support their citizens when they needed our help the most.

My third lesson is about the miracle of vaccines themselves. As a medical doctor by training, the importance of research and development is not news to me. But the pandemic made it very real for all of us. As you know, the outstanding mRNA vaccines did not come out of the blue. Their discovery, like all innovation, relies on long-term investment in scientists and their research. In fact, the European Commission had been investing in mRNA vaccine research since the early 2010s. However, in Europe we did not have a BARDA, like in the United States, which prepares for the case of an emergency. I must say, this was an obvious disadvantage. So we learnt it the rough way. And during the pandemic, we created HERA to anticipate threats and potential health crises. HERA works closely with our Horizon Europe research programme to close the circle from blue sky discovery all the way to scaling up life-saving measures.

Global cooperation in research and development is crucial for discovery. That is why, for example, HERA and CEPI – the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations – have recently signed a letter of intent. They will cooperate on developing next generation vaccines, including for COVID-19, as part of our Vaccines 2.0 Strategy. Horizon Europe is providing on a yearly basis contributions of EUR 35 million. And I am very pleased that our clinical trials partnership for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria between European and developing countries has recently agreed to co-run calls for proposals with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Which takes me to lesson four: manufacturing capacity. Having safe and effective vaccines is not enough – we all know that. We badly needed manufacturing capacity, as well as open supply chains. I vividly remember that, at the height of the pandemic, we saw shortages of all kinds across the whole vaccine value chain, from bioreactor bags to vials, from lipids to even syringes. So we set up a Task Force to work with industry, with global partners, to remove these bottlenecks. This helped ramp up the monthly production capacity in the European Union, from 20 million vaccine doses per month at the beginning of 2021 to around 300 million vaccine doses per month by the second half of the year. Having learnt this lesson, we have now set up the EU-FAB, which is an ever-warm network of production capacities to quickly ramp up vaccines production in the future.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

So far Europe has sent more than 2.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses to 168 countries worldwide. This is our fifth lesson: cooperation and solidarity must be global. At the start of the pandemic, there was no appropriate global framework to allow for fair sharing of vaccines and other medical countermeasures. So we helped set up the ACT-Accelerator and COVAX, which we financed with EUR 3 billion, and we donated half a billion vaccine doses to lower-income countries. But clearly, this was not a sufficient approach, more had to be done and more can be done. This is why we took a different approach now. We are supporting developing countries directly: through financing, through regulatory capacity-building, and technology transfer, to build up their own vaccine manufacturing capacity. We are working with Senegal, Rwanda, South Africa and Ghana to produce mRNA vaccines that are made in Africa, for Africans. And we are taking a similar approach now with Latin America. They have been asking us to do the same. And of course, we responded positively. Because this is the way to go. Regional resilience is the solution that builds global health resilience.

The sixth and final lesson concerns, indeed, the global health system. Over the years, global health has been consistently underfunded and neglected. Not by the likes of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, which is doing exemplary work, but by the governments. The key is to be prepared, and this means keeping up the investment and keeping the focus in global health, at all times. Even now, in these difficult times, with a completely different focus. I am glad that we finally agreed to create a Pandemic Preparedness and Response Fund. The European Commission, together with the United States, have each committed USD 450 million. And this is just the start. With this reinforced funding, we will step up globally the surveillance of cross-border health threats, the strengthening of health systems, and most importantly the support in training and education.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I know we still have a long way to go, but thanks to all of you and your dedication to global health and equity, I believe we are on the right track. Next month, the European Commission will bring forward the EU Global Health Strategy – it is our proposal to the world on how to work better together in partnership, to advance the common goal of global health. And of course, it will draw on the lessons I have just outlined to you. I look forward to continuing our close work together. And I wish you a rewarding and thoughtful conference.

The speech made by Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, on 19 October 2022.

Dear Minister Bek,

Honourable Members,

Yesterday, we saw again Russia’s targeted attacks against civilian infrastructure. This is marking a new chapter in an already very cruel war. The international order is very clear. These are war crimes. Targeted attacks on civilian infrastructure with the clear aim to cut off men, women, children from water, electricity and heating with the winter coming – these are acts of pure terror. And we have to call it as such.

This is the moment to stay the course. We will back Ukraine for as long as it takes. And we will protect Europeans from the other war that Putin is waging – this is his war on our energy. I know that Europeans are concerned; concerned about inflation; concerned about their energy bills; concerned about the winter. The best response to Putin’s gas blackmail is European solidarity and European unity.

In this spirit, the Commission agreed yesterday on a strong legislative framework to address the energy crisis. Let me outline the main points to you.

The first one is as logical as important: Instead of outbidding each other, Europeans should buy gas together. This is very simple. For this, we will purchase together gas at EU level. Aggregation of demand will be mandatory for at least 15% of the volumes needed to fill gas storages. And the companies involved may form a ‘gas purchasing consortium’. We do this because we have learnt the lesson. We literally saw in August of this year, at the height of the filling season, how Member States were outbidding each other and thus really driving up the prices. We definitely can be smarter on that one. Pooling our demand is a must.

My next point is about sharing gas in Europe. We know that some Member States are more directly exposed than others to Russian gas. The situation is especially challenging for landlocked countries in Central Europe. But in the end, if you look at our Single Market with highly integrated supply chains, a disruption in one Member State has a massive impact on all Member States. So, sharing gas is absolutely critical. Member States have already, since five years, an obligation under EU law to conclude solidarity agreements with their neighbours in their home region. However, if you look at what has been concluded so far, of 40 possible agreements only 6 have been concluded. This is simply not enough in times of a crisis like this one. This is why we will put in place default rules for Member States. These rules will be binding, as long as Member States do not conclude individual solidarity agreements. Energy solidarity is a fundamental principle of our Treaties, so let us bring that to life, it is very simple.

Honourable Members,

These three measures – pooling, saving, sharing – will have a positive impact on the prices. But of course, more needs to be done to address the price spikes and to address the Russian manipulation of the energy market. Just to give you two figures: Compared to September 2021, if we look now at September 2022, Russia has cut 80% of its pipeline gas supplies. But Europe has been able to compensate all that. We have diversified towards our trusted partners, like for example Norway and the United States. We have increased the savings. And it is good, we achieved in September a reduction of 15%. We have filled our storages up to 92%. We did not give in to this blackmail. We made it. And I think we can be proud of that. We resisted. That is important. But we also see that resisting the Russian energy coercion comes at a price. European families have seen their gas bills skyrocketing. And our companies are struggling to keep up competitiveness. It is not only about the competitiveness in the Single Market – that is also important. But it is also about the global competiveness that our companies are fighting for.

You might recall that in March, we proposed to the Council the option to cap gas prices. At that time, this did not gain any traction. But today, we are coming back to this. So what is the model? The current benchmark determining gas prices is TTF. TTF is only focused on pipeline gas. What we see now is that the market has really changed, from a pipeline gas market to a LNG market. So we need a new, a specific price benchmark for LNG. The Commission will now develop this complementary benchmark together with the European regulator. But this takes time. So in the meantime, as a stop-gap measure, we will limit prices at TTF. We call this the market correction mechanism. Yesterday, we proposed guiding principles as a first step. On this basis, we will prepare the operational mechanism in a second step. This is concerning the price cap at wholesale level.

But gas also drives up the electricity prices. And here, the Iberian model comes into play. It really merits to be considered at EU level. There are still questions to be answered, but I want to leave no stone unturned. So let us face that, let us look at that and let us work on that.

Honourable Members,

We live in times of high economic uncertainty. And, as I said, I am concerned about the competitiveness of our economy – not only concerning the Single Market, but also concerning the global competitiveness of our economy. So, all our actions have to take this into account, all our actions have to take the competitiveness of our SMEs and our industry into account. This includes that we will introduce a standard competitiveness-check in our regulation. I think it is time to do that. In addition, we have to speed up investments all over Europe. If I speak about investment, it is infrastructure, it is energy efficiency and it is renewables.

This brings me to REPowerEU. When we proposed REPowerEU in March, keep in mind that the situation was as such: There was a huge dependency on Russian gas. At that time, we anticipated that it would take several years to replace the Russian gas. Fact is today, it took us only eight months to replace two-thirds. In other words: We have massively accelerated the diversification to other suppliers of gas from abroad. But this comes at a high price. So the actual solution to maintain our competitiveness is to invest into home-grown sources of energy, especially renewables. That has to happen in all of Europe. However, only Member States with sufficient fiscal space can undertake these critical investments. This will inevitably unlevel the playing field of our Single Market.

Therefore, we do not only need REPowerEU now, so we have to accelerate it, but we have to boost it, we have to increase its firepower. We will come with a proposal on that because it will give every Member State the same opportunity to prepare for the future. This is not only about energy, this is about our global competitiveness and it is about our sovereignty.

Long live Europe.

Many thanks.