Keeping Our Promise to Europe: The Von der Leyen Commission PDF

Keeping our promise to Europe: The story of the von der Leyen Commission Keeping our promise to Europe: The story of the von der Leyen Commission European Commission Directorate-General for Communication 1049 Brussels BELGIUM Print ISBN 978-92-68-12915-9 doi:10.2775/340407 N...

Keeping our promise to Europe: The story of the von der Leyen Commission Keeping our promise to Europe: The story of the von der Leyen Commission European Commission Directorate-General for Communication 1049 Brussels BELGIUM Print ISBN 978-92-68-12915-9 doi:10.2775/340407 NA-05-24-113-EN-C PDF ISBN 978-92-68-12881-7 doi:10.2775/483501 NA-05-24-113-EN-N The Commission is not liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse of this publication. Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2024 © European Union, 2024 The reuse policy of European Commission documents is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/ EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). Except otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC-BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. For any use or reproduction of elements that are not owned by the European Union, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective rightholders. CREDITS All photos © European Union unless otherwise stated. Contents Managing crises head-on 3 Defeating the pandemic 3 Powering Europe’s recovery 6 A firm response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine 9 Strengthening Europe’s resilience, security and defence capabilities 14 Common solutions to the worst energy crisis in decades 16 Providing support when disaster hits 18 Keeping the course on our priorities 22 The European Green Deal: a growth strategy that protects the climate 22 Building Europe’s digital leadership 26 A hands-on approach to foster Europe’s industrial competitiveness 30 Our social market economy 34 Tackling irregular migration 41 Strengthening democracy and the rule of law 45 A stronger and bolder Europe in the world 48 Working together as a Union 52  The story of the von der Leyen Commission When the von der Leyen Commission took office in December 2019, we made a pledge to Europe: we promised to be bold and ambitious. We vowed to meet the aspirations of EU citizens and to address challenges as they emerged. Since then, this Commission has worked tirelessly to deliver on the job with which the European people entrusted it. And we kept our promise. We stayed the course on the six priorities that we set out at the beginning of the mandate, while finding solutions to some of the greatest tests that Europe has ever faced. From tackling a global pandemic to dealing with climate change’s extreme weather events, from responding to Russia’s brutal war of aggression against Ukraine to managing the worst energy crisis in decades, we rolled up our sleeves and tackled extraordinary challenges head-on. Despite the pressures of multiple crises, this Commission has managed to look ahead and address crucial challenges facing future generations of Europeans. We have shown that our Union is at its best when we are bold. This is the story of the von der Leyen Commission. 2  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Managing crises head-on Defeating the pandemic When the world was hit by the worst pandemic of our generation, the Commission took up the charge to protect lives, livelihoods and our economy. We helped research and roll out life-saving vaccines in record time. We made sure that all Europeans got access to vaccines at the same time, no matter which Member State they lived in. We secured up to 4.6 billion vaccine doses, on behalf of Member States, to protect Europeans and to share with partner countries. Over 80 % of the EU adult population has received at least the first vaccination course. As vaccination allowed countries to open their borders cautiously, we developed practical tools to enable Europeans to travel safely. We set up the EU Digital COVID Certificate, connecting 78 countries and territories. This has now become the model for a global system to facilitate mobility and protect citizens across the world from pandemics. As the lockdowns threatened to shut down companies and wipe out jobs, we developed an instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency (SURE). In 2020, it kept 2.5 million companies open and 31.5 million Europeans employed, avoiding a massive economic and social crisis. And when borders were closed and goods got stuck on the road, we launched Green Lanes to facilitate circulation and prevent shortages of basic goods. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS The Commission helped to finance the development of effective vaccines by pharmaceutical companies with the promise of purchasing later from those that would be successful. © Ad obe Stock It took only 6 months between the adoption of the EU Vaccines Strategy and the delivery of the first batches of COVID-19 vaccines to Member States. 3  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Just 15 weeks after the Commission’s proposal, the EU Digital COVID Certificate was available for citizens in every Member State to facilitate safer travel for all. © Ad obe Stock By summer 2023, 2.2 billion EU Digital COVID Certificates had been issued, helping Europeans to travel safely. 78 countries and territories were connected to the EU Gateway, which allows authorities to verify Digital Certificates in a secure way that guarantees individual privacy. Boyana from Bulgaria, a medicine graduate turned journalist, resumed medical service during the COVID-19 pandemic as a nurse on the frontline. In 2023, she trained as a paramedic for Bulgaria’s new emergency medical helicopters, bought with EU funds and with the help of NextGenerationEU. Expecting her first child, she is looking forward to joining the helicopter fleet. © Vih ren Geo rg iev, 2023 Team Europe (EU institutions and Member States) mobilised €53.7 billion to help partner countries deal with the immediate health emergency, to strengthen their healthcare systems, and to mitigate the socio-economic consequences. © Ado b e Stock 4  The story of the von der Leyen Commission We co-launched the Access At the heart of the ACT- We took unprecedented to COVID-19 Tools Accelerator, there was assistance measures to Accelerator initiative (ACT- COVAX - a multilateral help Europeans cope with Accelerator) to promote the effort to bring vaccines to the social and economic development and equitable developing countries. As challenges resulting from access by the whole world Team Europe, we remain the the pandemic. to COVID-19 vaccines and largest donor of COVID-19 treatments. vaccines through COVAX. SURE, our instrument to finance short-term employment schemes across the EU, helped support about 31.5 million employees and self-employed people and over 2.5 million businesses in 2020. This represented almost one third of total employment and over one quarter of businesses in the beneficiary Member States. Another 9 million people and over 900 000 businesses received support in 2021. In total, €98.4 billion of financial assistance was disbursed to 19 Member States under SURE. SURE ▪ €98.4 billion of financial assistance disbursed to 19 Member States. ▪ Supported some 31.5 million employees Thanks to the EU’s high and self-employed people and over 2.5 million businesses in 2020. credit rating, SURE also helped Member States save an estimated €9 billion in interest payments. € The protection of employment facilitated Europe’s rapid economic rebound in 2021. The Commission put forward the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative and the Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative Plus (CRII and CRII+). These instruments helped Member States buy medical equipment, pay health workers, and support workers and SMEs by making expenditures related to COVID eligible under Cohesion Policy and making that eligibility retroactive. Looking towards the future, we have started building a European Health Union to prepare and respond to health crises together. We are making sure that medical supplies are available and affordable, and that Member States work together to improve prevention, treatment and aftercare for all sorts of diseases, particularly cancer thanks to the Europe’s Beating Cancer Plan. 5  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Powering Europe’s recovery Just as vaccines reached all Europeans at the same time, we worked to ensure that the economies of all Member States, especially those worst hit by the pandemic, could recover rapidly. At a time when we faced the deepest recession since World War II, we achieved the strongest recovery since the post-war boom. This recovery was possible because we developed a bold new plan to raise money on the market and invest together in Europe’s recovery and resilience. NextGenerationEU has been a boost of confidence for our economy. Worth more than €800 billion, it is propelling our economies with a combination of investment and reforms. Hundreds of projects funded by NextGenerationEU are already delivering tangible results for Europeans, from offshore wind farms to electric trains, from top-notch digital public services to world-class hospitals. In parallel, EU Member States are using NextGenerationEU strategically to carry out deep reforms, like labour market reforms, pension reforms, and accelerated permitting for renewables. This is our Union powering Europe’s prosperity. The Koralmbahn, a new 130 km railway between the Austrian cities of Graz and Klagenfurt, shortens travel time from 3 hours to 45 minutes. With investments of €543 million from NextGenerationEU, the project creates tangible benefits for the 1.1 million inhabitants living in the region. © EU AP / A- Fo tos erv ice / Ferlin-Fiedler KEY ACHIEVEMENTS NextGenerationEU puts an emphasis As of February 2024, with on the clean and digital transitions. NextGenerationEU, we have disbursed Payments to Member States are conditional close to €225 billion, bringing about on measurable and progressive results, Europe’s economic recovery after the motivating authorities to deliver on the pandemic and increasing our Union’s social reforms and investments to which they have and economic resilience. committed. 6  The story of the von der Leyen Commission 5.8 million people in the EU have benefitted from protection measures against © climate-related disasters Ado b e Stock Its ambitious funding targets for climate Thanks to climate action investments under action (37 %) and digital action (20 %) have NextGenerationEU, 5.8 million people in been amply exceeded, with 40 % of funds the EU have benefitted from protection spent on climate action, and 26 % measures against climate-related spent on digital action. The funds also disasters, and 22 million megawatts-hours significantly support social and cohesion in energy consumption have been saved. actions. © Ado b e Stock In France, NextGenerationEU financed the energy-efficient renovation of 20 000 social dwellings. In Spain, it supported over 60 companies in research and innovation for sustainable mobility. Recovery and Resilience Facility: contributing to our climate and digital objectives RECOVERY AND 40 % of expenditure for CLIMATE investments and reforms RESILIENCE FACILITY 26 % of expenditure to foster the DIGITAL transition 7  The story of the von der Leyen Commission We are also providing finance for national The Slovenian recovery plan includes projects that address climate change measures to address floods. Following mitigation. For example, Greece’s recovery flash floods in August 2023, we set up a task plan includes measures to boost civil force, featuring Commission and Slovenian protection and response efforts in the face of representatives, to study ways of better wildfires and floods, as well as the climate- supporting affected areas with existing EU proofing of transport infrastructure. funding. © ©A Ado dobe Stock b e Stock Under NextGenerationEU, almost 18 million As part of the reforms under households in the EU have received high- NextGenerationEU, Member States have speed Internet access, and 247 million also reduced unnecessary administrative users have benefited from new or burdens and improved their business improved public digital services. environment. Italy, for example, introduced several reforms to improve its business environment, notably reducing the time to set up a business to 4 days. European companies are seizing the opportunities offered by NextGenerationEU. In a truly European partnership, Swedish Elekta and Dutch Philips are supplying key components for the installation of a magnetic resonance linear accelerator for cancer treatment in Malta, one of about 100 such machines worldwide. 8  The story of the von der Leyen Commission A firm response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine As Russian tanks crossed the border, our Union stood up for Ukraine with unity, strength and resolve. And the Commission, once more, rose to the occasion. We paved the way to hosting more than 4 million Ukrainian refugees in the EU. We organised the delivery of unprecedented humanitarian, financial and military assistance from the EU and Member States, reaching over €88 billion so far, including €28 billion in military support. And we are working closely with our G7 partners to make sure every euro goes where it is most needed in Ukraine. The dictator in the Kremlin has gambled on the disunity of Europeans. Together, we proved him wrong. We will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes. Through the new Ukraine Facility, we will deliver another €50 billion over the next 4 years to help provide basic services – keep schools open, pay salaries and pensions, while Ukraine’s people continue to fight back against the invader. Every victory for Ukraine against the aggressor is also a victory for our common security in Europe. €17 €28 billion billion More than made available in military assistance to Member States for Ukraine under the €88 billion to cater for the needs of people European Peace Facility and from Member States in overall support for individually Ukraine and Ukrainians* *As of February 2024 €43.4 billion in financial and budget support and humanitarian assistance At the same time, we have supported Ukraine every step of the way as it works hard to reform and get closer to the EU. Recognising the country’s tremendous progress and responding to the aspirations of the Ukrainian people, our Union took the historic decision to open accession negotiations with Ukraine, based on the Commission’s recommendation. We also helped tackle the impact of Russia’s aggression worldwide. As Russia’s war threatened to trigger a global food crisis, we came up with our trademark solutions to bring Ukraine’s crops to countries that needed them most. About 122 million tonnes of Ukrainian goods exported © Adobe Stock *Between May 2022 and January 2024 9  The story of the von der Leyen Commission We opened Solidarity Lanes, which have helped export 122 million tonnes of Ukrainian goods, including nearly 64 million tonnes of agricultural products mainly for export. At the same time, we are at the forefront of efforts to hold Russia accountable for its actions and pay for the destruction that it has caused. We have introduced 13 packages of sanctions to cripple Moscow’s war machine. We have immobilised over €200 billion of Russian Central Bank assets in the EU. We are supporting the collection of evidence on Russia’s war crimes and its crime of aggression. Because Europe stands up for international law. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS Russia’s war against Ukraine has only brought Since the beginning of the war, we have the EU and Ukraine closer together: Ukraine mobilised and developed unique means is now an official candidate to join the EU of economic, humanitarian, and military and accession negotiations have been assistance, bringing the total support greenlighted upon a recommendation by provided by the EU and its Member States the Commission. to over €88 billion. 10  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Ukraine Facility To ensure that Ukraine can continue to count on the funding that it needs, we put forward the Ukraine Facility, which will provide the country with up to €50 billion in the form of grants and concessional loans between 2024 and 2027. © Ado b e Stock The Commission has taken a leading role in Thanks to our Solidarity Lanes, we created coordinating international economic support alternative routes for Ukrainian trade for Ukraine by hosting the Secretariat of the when Russia blockaded transit through G7-led Multi-Agency Donor Coordination the Black Sea. Between May 2022 and Platform. January 2024, the Solidarity Lanes allowed the export of 122 million tonnes of goods and the import of 45 million tonnes, with a total value estimated at around €139 billion. The EU and its Member States have also mobilised over €28 billion in military support to help Ukraine defend itself, including over €6 billion from the European Peace Facility. Furthermore, the EU Military Assistance Mission for Ukraine has so far trained over 40 000 Ukrainian soldiers. To a record extent and in record time, the Commission has prepared and implemented 13 packages of wide-ranging sanctions against the Kremlin and its allies, to cripple their ability to finance and conduct the war. © Ado b e Stock 11  The story of the von der Leyen Commission The EU agreed to exclude key Russian banks from the SWIFT system EU sanctions currently apply to over 2 000 individuals and entities. Over €28 billion of their private assets are frozen in the EU. Sanctions cover 70 % of the Russian banking system’s assets. 58 % of the EU’s exports to Russia before the invasion, and 61 % of pre-war imports, are covered by our sanctions. We have banned the import of seaborne crude oil and refined petroleum products from Russia. Since about half of Russia’s total oil exports used to go to the EU (€71 billion in 2021), the impact has been © significant. Ado b e Stock The Commission and the High Representative made a proposal, now adopted by Member States, to use the extraordinary revenue arising from the management in the EU of immobilised Russian Central Bank assets to support the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine. Khrystyna is one of many Ukrainians who fled from the Russian aggression. She was welcomed in the Limburg region of the Netherlands. Thanks to the Temporary Protection Directive, she can now earn her living by working in the very hotel where she first stayed upon arriving in the Netherlands. 4 02 2 a, sov n a Vla y © Khryst 12  The story of the von der Leyen Commission We acted to provide shelter for people fleeing the war in Ukraine by activating the Temporary Protection Directive. Today, over 4 million people, mainly women and children coming from Ukraine, enjoy basic rights in the EU such as access to the labour market, medical care, and education for children. Temporary protection to over 4 million individuals 33.7 % children 46.5 % women 19.9 % men Residence Access to Access to suitable permits employement accommodation or housing Access to social Access to the state Access to education system welfare or means medical care for people under of subsistence if necessary the age of 18 The possibility to Access to move to another Opportunities banking services, EU Member State for families to for instance before the issuance reunite in certain opening a basic of a residence circumstances bank account permit As part of the largest operation under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, we have provided Ukraine with over 144 000 tonnes of aid, and we have established the medical evacuation (Medevac) system, which has enabled the evacuation of over 3 000 Ukrainian patients to hospitals in 22 European countries. 13  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Strengthening Europe’s resilience, security and defence capabilities As the strategic environment around us has fundamentally changed, Europe needs to face up to a new responsibility. This is why this Commission is developing a new European Defence Industrial Strategy. It will bring strategic focus and will help to tie together Member States’ and European firms’ efforts - from research to industrialisation and commercialisation of new systems, on to production ramp-up, coordinated procurement and security of supply. Because peace requires security. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS © Adobe St © Adobe St ock ock We have boosted the physical security of The Commission has acted to counter critical infrastructure and entities thanks to the rise of disinformation and the Critical Entities Resilience Directive, misinformation, especially online. We which requires that Member States carry out strengthened the Code of Practice on risk assessments of their critical sectors; and Disinformation, which includes major with the Critical Infrastructure Blueprint technology companies, platforms and civil we set a framework for a unified response to society. With the Digital Services Act we common critical infrastructure incidents. added additional means to prevent false information from spreading online. © Adobe St ock © Ad o be Stock We have stepped up the fight against We have boosted cross-border cooperation organised crime and terrorism offline among police and law enforcement and online. We have set out rules to fight authorities. Europol and Eurojust have been new forms of human trafficking; we have laid given reinforced mandates to better support out a roadmap in the fight against criminal national authorities. networks, notably those involved in drug trafficking. To fight terrorism and prevent radicalisation, rules have been put in place requiring that online platforms remove online terrorist content within 1 hour. 14  The story of the von der Leyen Commission The Commission worked to enable the conditions that allowed the safe and successful enlargement of the Schengen area to Croatia, Romania, and Bulgaria, while at the same time updating © Adobe St its governance and its rules. A yearly Schengen cycle was launched in 2022, starting each year with a State of Schengen ock Report, which identifies risks and security gaps. In February 2024, an agreement was reached by co-legislators on an updated Schengen Borders Code. The new code establishes a mechanism to introduce temporary travel restrictions at the external border in case of health emergencies. The code also gives Member States the means to fight the instrumentalisation of migrants by third- © Ad countries and non-state actors. obe Stoc k We have boosted our strong partnership with NATO. Through a new Joint Declaration on EU-NATO Cooperation, we are developing our common work on hybrid threats, cyber, terrorism, and the security implications of climate change. We launched the © Adobe St EU-NATO Task Force on resilience of critical infrastructure to better prevent common disruptions to essential services ock and address joint security challenges in the area of critical infrastructure. With the European Defence Fund, the European Defence Industry Reinforcement Through Common Procurement Act, and the Act in Support of Ammunition Production, we are mobilising Europe’s defence industry to manufacture more of our security at home. Short-term measures in response to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine will soon be substituted by the European Defence Industry Programme. © Adobe St ock 15  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Common solutions to the worst energy crisis in decades While launching its assault on Ukraine, Russia used energy to blackmail us, triggering an energy crisis in Europe and the fear of blackouts. Once again, our Union pulled together. With the Commission’s groundbreaking REPowerEU plan, we secured our energy supplies and reduced our dependence on Russia. We diversified our supplies by finding reliable new partners. We reduced our gas use by 18 % - thanks to tremendous efforts by European people and companies. And we doubled down on the roll-out of renewables. For the first time, we produced more electricity from wind in the EU than from gas last year. We have almost doubled the amount of solar energy produced in Europe. And installations of solar and wind energy have increased on an annual basis by around 35 %. To address the spike in energy prices caused by Russia’s blackmail, which caused hardship for our people and companies, we put in place an approach that had already proved successful during the pandemic. We put in place the EU Energy Platform to pool demand for gas and launch competitive tenders, giving our companies a stronger bargaining position on global markets. And it works. In 2023, European buyers had access to 42 billion cubic metres of gas through the Platform. And the latest EU joint tender from February 2024 was three times oversubscribed attracting a total volume of 97.4 billion cubic metres from international suppliers. Thanks to the combined actions that we took, today’s prices are almost 10 times lower than they were at the height of the crisis. And Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels from Russia is over, once and for all. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS 16  The story of the von der Leyen Commission KEY ACHIEVEMENTS REPowerEU Our investment plan, aiming to mobilise close to €300 billion, to reduce dependence on Russian fossil fuels and fast forward the clean transition SAVING ENERGY DIVERSIFYING OUR SUPPLY By coordinating our gas demand reduction Through reliable suppliers 18 % PERCENTAGE OF RUSSIAN PIPELINE GAS Drop in demand IMPORTS OF TOTAL EU GAS between August 2022 and December 2023 50 % 2021 101 bcm(*) 9% of gas saved oc k St e 2023 ob © Ad 99 % of gas storages capacity Current main supplier to the EU: Norway was full in November 2023 (30 % of pipeline imports in 2023) (overachieving our 90 % target by 1 November 2023) LNG LNG imports EU ENERGY PLATFORM from non-Russian suppliers +89 % In the four EU tenders for joint gas purchasing organised under the EU Energy Platform in 2023, 54.4 103 bcm 113 companies across the EU expressed gas bcm demand of over 54 bcm. 2021 2023 European buyers received offers for 4  2 bcm of gas Current main LNG supplier to the EU: through the Platform in 2023. Unites States (46 % of LNG imports) INVESTING IN RENEWABLES Accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and cheaper energy RENEWABLES DEPLOYMENT (2023) ELECTRICITY GENERATED (2023) Wind energy 45 % Solar energy 17 GW of electricity generated from renewables added 56 GW added (*) bcm = billion cubic metres 17  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Providing support when disaster hits Throughout the mandate, the Commission has boosted Europe’s capacity to provide vital support to countries hit by disaster, from floods to forest fires, from earthquakes to medical emergencies. The EU Civil Protection Mechanism has channelled support to all parts of the continent and beyond. Our teams were at work to rescue people and clear the rubble just hours after deadly earthquakes ravaged Albania, Croatia and Türkiye. They were quick with support on the ground following devastating floods in Belgium, Germany, Italy and Slovenia. Since 2019, we have provided over €3 billion through the EU Solidarity Fund to Member States and accession countries hit by natural disasters and public health emergencies. 18  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Our firefighting fleet has helped battle wildfires from Greece to Portugal, from France to Albania. And across the Atlantic too: In a historic first, Canada turned to Europe for support when it was hit by the worst forest fires in recent times. And Europe answered the call: Hundreds of European firefighters combatted the violent fires which ravaged Canada’s forests. But the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, as well as the pandemic, have shown that we need to do more to respond to disasters. This is why we created rescEU: a common reserve of European resources, including a fleet of firefighting planes and helicopters, medical evacuation planes, and stockpiles of medical items. A real European safety net for emergencies. When disaster strikes, our Union is now better equipped than ever to support Europeans – and the rest of the world. Since 2020, we have coordinated 232 Humanitarian Air Bridge operations, responding to 12 crises worldwide, most recently the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza. 232 Humanitarian © Adobe Stock Air Bridge operations, responding to 12 crises worldwide Sweden is contributing two more scooper aircraft to the EU’s rescEU wildfire fighting fleet, raising the total number of Swedish planes that are ready for emergency operations, both nationally and internationally, to four. The earthquake that hit Croatia in 2020 destroyed the University Hospital Centre in Zagreb. With the help of EU funds, the hospital is now being renovated, providing better healthcare for almost half a million residents of the Zagreb area. © MPGI, 2023 19  The story of the von der Leyen Commission KEY ACHIEVEMENTS The von der Leyen Commission has As borders started to close at the beginning continued to provide assistance across the of the COVID-19 pandemic, we repatriated world. Over the past 4 years, the EU over 100 000 people back to Europe, Civil Protection Mechanism has been bringing Europeans and their families home. activated on over 400 occasions. © Adobe Stock During the pandemic, the Commission Since Russia launched its war of aggression coordinated and co-financed the delivery against Ukraine, we have organised the of 190 million medical and personal largest operation in the history of protective equipment items, including the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, ventilators, to third countries. delivering 144 000 tonnes of aid. 20  The story of the von der Leyen Commission In response to violent wildfires across Europe, the Mechanism has responded by enabling the deployment of firefighting planes, helicopters and firefighting personnel. When forest fires devastated Cyprus, Greece, Italy, and Tunisia in 2023, around 2 000 personnel, including firefighters, were sent to tackle the emergency. Since 2019, we have established rescEU medical stockpiles across Europe, containing crucial equipment such as ventilators, personal protective equipment, medicines, and chemical, radiological, nuclear and biological equipment. The Commission has also established global stockpiles of aid – the European Humanitarian Response Capacity – hosted in Latin America, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Through the Capacity, the EU aims to send aid faster to crisis zones. The EU remains a world-leading humanitarian donor. Since December 2019, EU humanitarian funding has exceeded €11 billion. We have responded to humanitarian emergencies across the world: from Afghanistan to Sudan, and Gaza most recently. 21  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Keeping the course on our priorities The European Green Deal: a growth strategy that protects the climate Right at the start of our mandate, we rallied Europe around a common goal: to develop a new growth model, the European Green Deal, based on a clean and circular economy. We set ourselves targets to © become climate neutral by 2050. Because only what gets measured, Ad obe Stoc k gets done. With this compass, we pushed forward a clean transition that protects people and the planet, is economically sound and socially fair. Our vision is clear: Europe should remain a prime destination for investments that bring stable, future-proof, quality jobs, with a strong industrial base. We put in place a framework to deliver a reduction of at least 55 % of greenhouse gas emissions in comparison to 1990 by the end of this decade. We ramped up EU-level investments. Almost €400 billion of EU funds from NextGenerationEU and cohesion policy are funding climate-related projects. We set out a robust framework for sustainable finance and became the biggest issuer of green bonds worldwide. And we have shown that it is possible to decouple economic growth from emissions: since 1990, greenhouse gas emissions have dropped by 32.5 %, and our economy has grown by close to 70 %. And we have fostered the development of innovative technologies that we need to reduce emissions. With the Net-Zero Industry Act, we will dramatically speed up permitting processes for clean tech manufacturing and we will support European businesses to deliver the transition while maintaining their competitive edge. 22  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Near Cologne, Germany, Lyondell Basell supported by the EU’s Innovation Fund, is developing a commercially viable plastic waste recycling plant that will run 100 % on electricity. The project will thus reduce the problem of plastic trash and resource scarcity, while being carbon-neutral. © Ly o nd ellB a sell, 2 02 4 But the rest of the world needs to level up. To address carbon leakage, we put in place the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism. This helps to make sure that emissions are reduced wherever they are produced and the EU’s climate objectives are not undermined. From the beginning, we promised to Europeans to work on making the transition socially fair. We kept our promise. We set up the Just Transition Fund and the Social Climate Fund, to support those who are more vulnerable and face the biggest challenges to adapt. Our Green Deal is delivering on its objectives - Europe is on track to achieve its climate targets. And we are turning the necessary decarbonisation of our industries into a growth opportunity. Eastern Wielkopolska, a lignite-mining region of Poland, is pursuing an ambitious path towards climate neutrality. Supported by the EU’s Just Transition Fund and the Innovation Fund, the region could build Poland’s first electrolysers to produce hydrogen. By actively reskilling workers, nobody is left behind on the way towards climate neutrality. © Ad ob eS t o ck 23  The story of the von der Leyen Commission KEY ACHIEVEMENTS © © Ado Ado b e Stock b e Stock In 2021, the EU adopted its first European During this mandate, the Commission came Climate Law, setting in stone Europe’s forward with the Just Transition Fund. goals to become climate-neutral by Supported by €19.7 billion in finance, it has 2050, as well as a target of 55 % less supported vulnerable regions to diversify emissions by 2030, in comparison to economic activities and address the socio- 1990. In February 2024, the Commission economic impact of the clean transition. recommended an additional intermediate target of 90 % less emissions by 2040. © Ado b e Stock The Commission has supported farmers Since 2019, we have approved seven in 22 Member States with €330 million major Important Projects of Common to cope with the impacts of climate events European Interest (IPCEIs) involving and higher input costs. We have also given 22 Member States. These ambitious Member States flexibility to complement EU projects concern, for example, batteries, support by up to 200 % with national funds, microelectronics, hydrogen, and cloud and to provide higher advance payments computing. With State aid amounting of Common Agricultural Policy funds to to €32.9 billion, they will unlock at improve farmers’ cash flow. least €50.3 billion of additional private investments. © Ado b e Stock To better use scarce resources and Our strong focus on making smarter use of reduce waste, we adopted measures to materials has been on display with the New make products more sustainable, reducing European Bauhaus. With over 600 official the 2.2 billion tonnes of waste that the EU partner organisations ranging from EU-wide produces every year. networks to local initiatives, the Bauhaus now reaches millions of citizens. 24  The story of the von der Leyen Commission © Ado b e Stock During this term, the Commission updated The Commission wants to ensure that our the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) industries are fit for the green era. We to cover more activities, motivating more have supported battery manufacturing economic sectors to implement reforms in the EU and the development of towards the clean transition. This generates clean hydrogen. We have also set out more revenue that will be reinvested requirements to ensure that EV charging in innovation, climate action, and stations will be available every 60 km social support, for example through the in the trans-European transport network. Innovation Fund, the Modernisation With our Carbon Border Adjustment Fund, and the Social Climate Fund. Mechanism, we have addressed carbon leakage, making sure that emissions are reduced wherever they are produced, not simply off-shored. k k © Adobe Stoc © Adobe Stoc The Commission’s Zero Pollution Action We spearheaded the Kunming-Montreal Plan resulted in proposals for modernised Global Biodiversity Framework, agreed standards on water quality, air quality, at the COP15 on biological diversity, and the industrial emissions and chemicals. UN High Seas Treaty. We have launched a series of clean transition dialogues with key industrial sectors. We have launched dialogues with the hydrogen sector, energy intensive industries and clean tech. Dialogues on critical raw materials, mobility, infrastructure, and forestry will take place in 2024. 25  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Building Europe’s digital leadership In the past years, Europe has achieved more for citizens and businesses in the digital space than ever before. We set a clear vision at the start of the mandate: ensure that our society benefits from technology and that innovation boosts our competitiveness, while minimising risks for citizens. We fulfilled our mandate. Across Europe, we have invested billions in the expansion of fibre optics and 5G. We have connected rural regions and equipped hundreds of thousands of workers with skills for the digital future. We delivered a human-centred vision of the digital © A do b e Stock space and consolidated our technological leadership. In 2019, none of the top eight supercomputers were European. Today, the EU is home to four of the most powerful computers in the world – based in Finland, Italy, Spain and Germany. LUMI is one of our world-class supercomputers. It means ‘snow’ in Finnish, and thanks to its location in northern Finland, it needs less energy for cooling. LUMI uses 100 % hydropower, and its waste heat is used to heat hundreds of households in the area. © C SC At the same time, Europe has become the global pioneer of citizen’s rights online. With the Digital Services Act, we set out the basic principles for all digital companies in Europe, as well as clear rights for users. We defined the special responsibilities of large internet platforms on the content they promote and propagate – to help tackle hate speech and disinformation, for instance, and to protect minors. And with the Digital Markets Act, we are ensuring that major digital companies play by fair rules and ensure transparency and legal certainty for EU businesses. The same goes for Artificial Intelligence. With our innovation-friendly AI Act, the EU is the first and so far only continent to have a dedicated AI regulation in place, focused on high-risk uses. More than a rulebook, the AI Act is a springboard for our companies to lead the way in developing trustworthy AI. We know that AI can boost the productivity of our companies tremendously. We are therefore helping them to integrate AI in their business processes. For instance, we are providing start-ups and SMEs with access to our world-class supercomputers, so that they can develop, train and test large AI models. 26  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Nines, a Spaniard living in Vigo with her husband and three children, is undergoing treatment for metastatic breast cancer. She has been chosen to participate in the DIPCAN project - a cancer study funded under NextGenerationEU, which will reach 2 000 APHY, 2023 patients. It integrates a patient’s health data and Artificial Intelligence to identify the best and most efficient treatment for each individual. Nines is receiving personalised treatment and her GR OTO doctors are confident that, thanks to the more efficient treatments PH enabled by DIPCAN’s diagnosis, her life expectancy can increase. AL OR C ICA RD O Nines’s message: “More research, more life”. © Copyright © R At the same time, we have developed a secure way to tap into the economic potential of data. With the Data Act, we will incentivise the sharing of data by those who generate it and make our cloud markets more competitive – adding tens of billions of euro to our GDP by 2028. Europe’s Digital Decade delivers. KEY ACHIEVEMENTS During this term, Europe has invested Since its first day in office, the von der more in digital than ever before. Today, Leyen Commission has been harnessing 8 in 10 Europeans enjoy access the potential of emerging technologies, to the 5G network. Approximately while protecting citizens. With the AI Act, 56 % of all EU households are connected the EU is becoming the first jurisdiction to fibre-optic cables. in the world to ensure AI remains safe and human centred. This Commission has set an ambitious goal of investing more than €1 billion per year in AI research and innovation. In 2022, we mobilised €3 billion for AI research and development. 27  The story of the von der Leyen Commission © Ado b e Stock The Data Governance Act, in place since The Digital Services Act sets out a new September 2023, lays down requirements standard for the accountability of to increase trust in data intermediaries and online platforms. Under the Act, Very strengthens data-sharing mechanisms. Large Online Platforms or Search Engines reaching more than 45 million users monthly are subject to more stringent rules. To date, 22 services have been designated as Very Large Online Platforms or Search Engines. © © Ado Ado b e Stock b e Stock With the Digital Markets Act, the To give Europeans a safe and secure digital EU has set a global milestone to identity, this Commission has proposed a regulate the economic power of new Digital Identity Wallet. From the end digital “gatekeepers”, some of the of 2026, the Wallet will allow EU citizens largest digital global companies. to have a secure digital identity that In September 2023, the Commission protects personal data. designated six gatekeepers under the Act – Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, ByteDance, Meta and Microsoft – accounting together for a total of 22 core platform services. © c k Ado Sto b be e Stock © Ado To bolster our resilience to cyber threats, The Commission introduced also a Cyber the Commission has introduced the Resilience Act, setting out cybersecurity NIS2 Directive, expanding cybersecurity requirements for all hardware and software rules to cover new sectors, such as products on the European market, from baby telecoms providers, postal services, public monitors and computer games to firewalls administration, and healthcare. and routers. 28  The story of the von der Leyen Commission k to c © eS b Ado do b e Stock ©A To prepare Europeans for the digital The EU Cyber Solidarity Act proposes transition, the Commission has put in measures to boost cyber preparedness place initiatives to support the increase for critical entities and reinforce crisis in the number of ICT graduates, and management and response capabilities. to support citizens in their efforts to gain new digital skills including the Cybersecurity Skills Academy and the Digital Skills and Jobs Platform. © Ado b e S t o ck Under the Digital Decade Policy Programme, the Commission continues to track Europe’s performance in four areas: citizens’ digital skills; take-up of new technologies by businesses, like AI, data and cloud; advancing the EU’s connectivity, computing and data infrastructures; and making public services and administration available online. The Programme has established concrete targets to be achieved by 2030, notably the goal to ensure 80 % of those aged 16-74 have basic digital skills. 29  The story of the von der Leyen Commission A hands-on approach to foster Europe’s industrial competitiveness Europe’s industry is at the centre of our mission to deliver prosperity for our people. And it is key to our ambition to build a clean economy. To help our industry remain competitive globally during the transition, we developed a fast-track approach to supporting key sectors, from chips to clean tech, from batteries to wind. This combines investment, skills, smart regulatory facilities and cooperation with partners. We tested this approach with the European Chips Act, to boost the manufacturing of chips and support scale-up and innovation across the value chain. And it worked. The European Chips Act has already generated over €100 billion of planned investments along the entire value chain. And it is creating good jobs across Europe, from Magdeburg to Catania, from Dublin to Dresden, from Wrocław to Grenoble. The region of Saxony, in eastern Germany, has successfully mastered a transition to become one of the preeminent technology hubs in Europe, with a special focus on electronics. EU funding has played a key role and has helped attract additional investments. The most prominent project is an investment of €5 billion by Infineon in a new chip production facility, which should create around 1 000 new, highly skilled jobs. Infineon is expecting €1 billion in public funding. We are applying the same approach to make sure that the future of our clean tech industry is made in Europe. Our Net-Zero Industry Act will help the EU build a strong domestic manufacturing capacity. By 2030, at least 40 % of our demand for net-zero technologies should be covered by European manufacturing capacity. Our strategic projects and valleys, permitting reforms and targeted procurement and auction rules, can help the EU to become a global frontrunner in the clean energy transition and to create green, quality jobs at home. Similarly, we developed the Critical Raw Materials Act to secure access for our companies to essential materials, which are key to Europe’s competitiveness and economic security. Today, Europe sources the lion’s share of its rare earths and other critical raw materials from China. Geopolitical tensions or events such as the pandemic could at any time trigger serious downstream production problems in Europe. This is why we developed the new ‘De-risk, not decouple’ principle towards China, which is by now accepted by EU Member States and G7 partners. We are developing new projects in Europe, but also beneficial strategic partnerships with countries such as Australia, Chile and Canada, to secure and process critical raw materials and diversify the supply chains of European companies. And to adapt to geopolitical realities, we developed our first-ever Economic Security Strategy, with concrete steps to increase our resilience and de-risk our economy. There too, our approach is pragmatic: promotion of Europe’s own capacities in key sectors, protection against dependencies and partnerships to advance shared interests. This is making Europe stronger and safer. 30  The story of the von der Leyen Commission KEY ACHIEVEMENTS © Ado b ock e Stock © Adobe St The Commission has spurred investment, In February 2024, co-legislators agreed on innovation, and creativity in the the most comprehensive reform of the economy. With the support of our InvestEU economic governance rules since the programme, we aim to mobilise over financial crisis. The new rules will help to €372 billion of private and public bring public finances back on track and investment in our green, digital, and provide enough space for investment. social priorities. To date, 175 projects have been approved and supported by InvestEU. ck Sto © Adobe Stock © Adobe In line with the Green Deal Industrial Plan, In June 2023 the Commission and the High the Commission has adopted a State Representative presented the first-ever aid Temporary Crisis and Transition European Economic Security Strategy. Framework, approving almost €13 billion The Strategy focuses on four categories of in State aid measures to speed up risk: risks to the resilience of supply chains, financing for clean tech production. to the security of critical infrastructure, to technology security and technology leakage, and risks of weaponisation of economic dependencies and economic coercion. In October 2023 the Commission identified four critical areas for economic security: advanced semiconductor technologies, AI technologies, quantum technologies, and biotechnologies. 31  The story of the von der Leyen Commission ck Sto be o k Ad © Adobe Stoc © During this term, the Commission introduced The Commission also set a legal framework the EU Taxonomy, providing a common for a Green Bond Standard. Funds raised definition for environmentally sustainable by this type of bond will be 100 % aligned economic activities. Since 2021, the with the high environmental standards EU Taxonomy has covered around two of the EU Taxonomy. thirds of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe. On average, about 20 % of capital expenditure by large, listed EU companies are taxonomy-aligned. © Adobe Stock © Adobe Stock The Commission has led the way worldwide During this mandate, the Commission in setting rules for previously unregulated introduced the Digital Operational crypto assets. The Markets in Crypto- Resilience Act, which intends to enhance Assets Regulation brings crypto-assets the cybersecurity of Europe’s financial sector. and their service providers under regulation and supervision. © Adobe Stock © Adobe Stock The Commission put forward new rules for The EU was one of the first jurisdictions in instant payments in euro, which were the world to implement the unprecedented adopted in February 2024. We also set out tax agreement set out by the OECD. The principles for a future digital euro. Commission put forward a Directive setting a minimum effective tax rate of 15 % for multinational companies active in EU Member States. It is in effect since January 2024. 32  The story of the von der Leyen Commission ck ck Sto Sto © Adobe © Adobe The Commission has proposed key initiatives The von der Leyen Commission has to reduce tax compliance costs, including put forward the most ambitious and “Business in Europe: Framework for comprehensive reform of the EU Income Taxation” (BEFIT). BEFIT will Customs Union since its establishment introduce a single set of rules to determine in 1968. Our reform will simplify customs the tax base of groups of companies. reporting requirements for traders. This will reduce compliance costs for businesses that operate in more than one Member State. 33  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Our social market economy The competitiveness of our social market economy is built on our human capital – on the skills and the wellbeing of our workers. Since the beginning of the mandate, this has been at the core of our action. We established the Pact for Skills, to give workers the training that they need to match business’ needs, and we backed it with €65 billion worth of investments in skills from the EU budget and NextGenerationEU. This is paramount for our people and for our companies, as two thirds of SMEs in Europe say they cannot find the talent that they need. Nikola has been working for over 12 years in the Maritsa Iztok coal mining complex in Bulgaria, one of the largest of its kind in South-East Europe. He decided to acquire new skills for the future. As part of the European Year of Skills, he has joined the RES-SKILL project, which is retraining coal workers for the renewable energy sector. With the new qualifications, he will be ready for the modern, clean economy. © Vih ren G eorg iev, 2023 But our competitiveness is also built on working conditions that allow our workers to thrive and to focus on their job. The von der Leyen Commission promised and delivered: we now have an EU framework to improve the adequacy of minimum wages. Workers should earn wages that allow for a decent living wherever they work. © Adobe Stock As new ways of work emerge, they also come with challenges, for instance in terms of access to labour rights and social protection. This is why we proposed rules to improve the working conditions in platform work – as we committed to at the start of this Commission’s mandate. In 2021, over 500 digital platforms were active in the EU offering work to over 28 million people – most of them are self-employed but others are in fact workers. 34  The story of the von der Leyen Commission We also set out rules on pay transparency, to make the basic principle that equal work deserves equal pay a reality, no matter whether you are a woman or a man. And we introduced a Child Guarantee, so that families in need can afford childcare, and that mothers and fathers are able to both work and have a family. Europe needs all of its talent. We also succeeded in pushing over the line a long-lasting goal: to bring more women in Europe’s corporate boardrooms. With the adoption of the ‘Women on boards’ Directive, which had been stuck for a decade, our Union has now in place a target of 40 % of non-executive directors in listed companies to be women. This is good news for women, as it breaks the glass ceiling. And it is good news for our economy, as companies that embrace diversity are more successful. During this mandate, the Commission also put forward novel initiatives against racism and anti-semitism, but also for LGBTIQ people, individuals with disabilities, and Roma. We worked for a better Union, where Europeans of all colours, faiths, ages, genders, and sexual orientations can thrive. © Adobe Stock A target of 40 % of women non-executive directors in listed companies 35  The story of the von der Leyen Commission KEY ACHIEVEMENTS The Commission set out At the end of January 2024, To ensure future prosperity an Action Plan to bring the President von der Leyen co- and wellbeing in the EU, European Pillar of Social hosted the Val Duchesse it is crucial to address the Rights to life. The Action Plan Social Partners Summit, challenges brought about by sets clear targets for the EU to bringing EU institutions and the demographic transition. reach by 2030: to reach 78 % social partners together to The Commission put forward of employment, ensure strengthen social dialogue. the Demography Toolbox. participation of 60 % of The toolbox is structured adults in yearly training, around four pillars: (i) and reduce the number of supporting parents to better people at risk of poverty or reconcile family aspirations social exclusion by at least and paid work, (ii) supporting 15 million. and empowering younger generations, (iii) empowering older generations and sustaining their welfare, and (iv) addressing labour shortages through managed legal migration where necessary. EU social targets by 2030 2021 2021 At least At least At least 2030 2030 78 % 60 % 15 million of the population aged of all adults should fewer people at risks of 20 to 64 should be in participate in training poverty or social employment by 2030 every year by 2030 exclusion by 2030 36  The story of the von der Leyen Commission An economy that works for people ECONOMIC SITUATION NEXTGENERATIONEU The EU economy continues to show NextGenerationEU is more than just a remarkable resilience amid the successive response to the challenges posed by the economic shocks of recent years. COVID-19 pandemic: It is a historic opportunity to build an economy that works for every citizen of the EU. Strong economic rebound In the period 2021-2023 (*) the EU Investment economy rebounded by 10 % A common European investment of compared to the 2020 level. over €800 billion to make Europe healthier, greener, and more digital. Expansion The expansion was supported by a robust Recovery and Resilience Facility labour market, with unemployment rates hitting record lows and increasing employment. €385 billion in loans worth Unemployment €723 billion Total unemployment rate in the EU, €338 billion seasonally adjusted in grants to invest in reforms and projects 12 % 10 % 8% 5.9 % Disbursement 6% 4% Altogether, almost €225 billion have already been disbursed, including €67 billionin pre-financing. 2% 0% 11 21 12 22 20 18 19 14 13 15 16 23 17 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Source: Eurostat. GDP Investment funded by NextGenerationEU alone could boost the EU’s GDP by approximately 1.4 % in 2026 (**). (*) This includes preliminary data for 2023. (**) This does not include the significant growth-enhancing impact of reforms in recovery plans. 37  The story of the von der Leyen Commission EUROPEAN YEAR OF SKILLS SINGLE MARKET For three decades, we have crafted a powerful single market, the world’s European Year of Skills largest market, with a strong social With the European Skills Agenda, the EU is investing dimension. heavily in lifelong learning,to adapt people’s skills to the ever-changing labour market. GDP Over 2,000 events and meetings placedskills It amounts to centre-stage during the EuropeanYear of Skills. Funds 15 % of global GDP The EU is investing around €65 billion in skills It is estimated to have increased the programmes, mostly via theRecovery and Resilience EU’s GDP by an additional 9 % since Facility and the European Social Fund Plus. its creation three decades ago. Pact for Skills Size In 2022, 2 million people benefitedfrom upskilling It comprises and reskilling activities under the Pact for Skills. 15,500 training programmes have beenupdated or developed under the Pactin 2022. 440M citizens 23M businesses es ag Im etty ©G 38  The story of the von der Leyen Commission In order to help the next generation of Europeans thrive, the Commission put forward a Recommendation establishing a European Child Guarantee, ensuring that every child at risk of poverty has access to the most basic rights while also helping parents not to have to choose between working and having a family. Thanks to EU funding, a childcare facility in Cyprus’ industrial zone of Agios Athanasios allows young parents, in particular women, to work and provide for their family while ensuring that their children are taken care of very close to their working area. © Ad o be Stoc k This Commission also launched the Youth Employment Support programme, aiming to provide a bridge to jobs for the next generation. At the heart of this initiative stands the reinforced Youth Guarantee. The Youth Guarantee ensures that young people under 30 are offered a job, continued education, a traineeship, or an apprenticeship within 4 months of becoming unemployed or leaving education. © Ado be Stock Since November 2022, we have new rules to improve the adequacy of minimum wages in countries with statutory minimum wages, establishing clear criteria for wage setting and updates. The rules also promote more collective bargaining and better enforcement and monitoring. The Commission has also introduced ground-breaking rules on pay transparency, which will help to close the gender pay gap. The rules will help to enforce the principle of equal pay between women and men, and they will improve access to justice for victims of pay discrimination. During this mandate, co-legislators have also agreed on new rules that will © Ado be Stock criminalise physical violence, as well as psychological, economic and sexual violence against women across the EU. With the intention of improving health and safety at work, the Commission set out a 2021-2027 EU strategic framework on health and safety at work. We presented several proposals to limit the risks that workers face from the exposure to dangerous substances, including asbestos, lead, diisocyanates, and other carcinogens, mutagens and reprotoxic substances. 39  The story of the von der Leyen Commission 37 families got back into homes during 2021-2023 in Košice, after experiencing chronic homelessness, thanks to Košice’s and Slovakia’s “Combatting Homelessness Plan”. With support from the European Social Fund, local NGOs, led by Foundation DEDO, helped the families find and retain housing. 21 20 O, ED ia D dác © Na This Commission has also proposed a new comprehensive approach to mental health. The plan focuses on the most vulnerable, such as children, young people, and the elderly, and it includes 20 flagship initiatives and €1.23 billion in funding for education and awareness raising. The Commission has laid the ground to build a Union of Equality. Along with a strategy on gender equality, we have put in place the first-ever anti-racism action plan and the first-ever EU strategy against anti -semitism and on fostering Jewish life. This Commission also adopted the first-ever LGBTIQ strategy. In October 2020, we strengthened a framework to support Roma in the EU. In March 2021, we adopted the 2021-2030 Strategy for the rights of persons with disabilities. Co-legislators have already agreed on the Commission’s proposal for a European Disability Card and a European Parking Card for persons with disabilities. 40  The story of the von der Leyen Commission Tackling irregular migration Europe is a continent whose history has been shaped by many peoples. We will always stand by our obligations to provide safety to people who seek international protection, and we are proud to offer legal migration pathways that will also benefit European societies and economies. However, in past crises when unprecedented numbers of refugees and irregular migrants entered the EU, it became clear that Europe did not have the right tools to cope with the pressures. At the start of this Commission’s mandate, we therefore committed to establish a common system to better manage migration in the EU. This is why we proposed a new Pact on Migration and Asylum. After complex political and legal negotiations, Member States and the European Parliament reached an agreement on this comprehensive set of rules, giving Europe a fresh start, where for decades we have only seen blockage and stagnation. With the new rules, we will better secure control of our external border. We are making asylum, return and border procedures quicker and more effective, with stricter time limits and more stringent rules to limit abusive or subsequent applications, with the necessary guarantees for individuals. Return decisions for those without a right to stay will be iss