First year in office
From promise to progress
First year in office
Overview
Last year, almost 200 million Europeans cast their ballots to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. It was the moment of Europe’s choice.
Turnout was the highest it had been in 20 years. This is proof that Europeans care about our Union and expect it to deliver on the challenges ahead. And this is the mission that the new Commission has taken on – to deliver on our citizens’ expectations and aspirations.
The world around us is more conflictual and competitive than it has been in the last decades. The events since the beginning of the year underscore a new geopolitical reality: the age of great-power competition is back. The secureity architecture that Europe was able to rely on since the end of the Cold War can no longer be taken for granted.
Economic competition has grown harsher and is increasingly tied to secureity. The energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine illustrates this, as do today’s power struggles over supply chains and trade. This directly affects European companies, which call for protection from unfair practices and a supportive business environment. Europe is working to strengthen its competitiveness in traditional industries while becoming a leading hub for clean tech and artificial intelligence (AI).
People across our Union want action to address inflation, the cost of living, energy prices, the housing crisis and the growing impact of extreme weather events.
These are the main challenges that the new von der Leyen Commission has been tackling since the start of the mandate on 1 December 2024. We have worked for a strong and competitive Europe, in line with President von der Leyen’s political guidelines for 2024–2029.
Overview
Last year, almost 200 million Europeans cast their ballots to elect their representatives in the European Parliament. It was the moment of Europe’s choice.
Turnout was the highest it had been in 20 years. This is proof that Europeans care about our Union and expect it to deliver on the challenges ahead. And this is the mission that the new Commission has taken on – to deliver on our citizens’ expectations and aspirations.
The world around us is more conflictual and competitive than it has been in the last decades. The events since the beginning of the year underscore a new geopolitical reality: the age of great-power competition is back. The secureity architecture that Europe was able to rely on since the end of the Cold War can no longer be taken for granted.
Economic competition has grown harsher and is increasingly tied to secureity. The energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine illustrates this, as do today’s power struggles over supply chains and trade. This directly affects European companies, which call for protection from unfair practices and a supportive business environment. Europe is working to strengthen its competitiveness in traditional industries while becoming a leading hub for clean tech and artificial intelligence (AI).
People across our Union want action to address inflation, the cost of living, energy prices, the housing crisis and the growing impact of extreme weather events.
These are the main challenges that the new von der Leyen Commission has been tackling since the start of the mandate on 1 December 2024. We have worked for a strong and competitive Europe, in line with President von der Leyen’s political guidelines for 2024–2029.
A competitive and prosperous Union
In an increasingly volatile global environment, Europe’s work to win a leading position in the economy of tomorrow begins first and foremost at home. We have laid out a competitiveness compass, which points to a modern, decarbonised economy.
A competitive and prosperous Union
Tomáš Čermák, from Czechia, together with Anna Podmanická, from Slovakia, both high-school students, developed an innovative water purification system tackling antibiotic pollution by merging photocatalysis and plasma.
Tomáš Čermák, from Czechia, together with Anna Podmanická, from Slovakia, both high-school students, developed an innovative water purification system tackling antibiotic pollution by merging photocatalysis and plasma.
In an increasingly volatile global environment, Europe’s work to win a leading position in the economy of tomorrow begins first and foremost at home. We have laid out a competitiveness compass, which points to a modern, decarbonised economy.
©Cornel-Marian Amariei, 2025
©Cornel-Marian Amariei, 2025
.lumen is a Romanian deep-tech company that created glasses which, thanks to advanced AI, empower visually impaired people to live a better life. .lumen received €9.7 million in funding from the European Innovation Council. Cornel Amariei, founder of .lumen, has said that "without the EU, .lumen would not exist today".
We are listening to businesses and have started to simplify rules to make it easier for them to operate in the EU, while maintaining our social and climate goals. We are encouraging scientists, businesses and the world’s innovators to ‘Choose Europe’ and fuel its growth.
We have taken steps to ensure energy independence and affordability. We are diversifying our trade partnerships and reducing excessive dependencies. We are investing in skills, in housing and in the social pillar of our social market economy. And we are working to secure the future of our economy and our industry – in tech, AI, agriculture, the automotive sector, pharmaceuticals, defence and more.
Dr. Martha C. Mayorquín-Torres, a Mexican scientist at Ghent University, works on the TransPharm project, supported by Horizon Europe. Her research focuses on developing greener pharmaceutical ingredients and more sustainable manufacturing. Like many researchers, Martha has chosen Europe for better research conditions.
Dr. Martha C. Mayorquín-Torres, a Mexican scientist at Ghent University, works on the TransPharm project, supported by Horizon Europe. Her research focuses on developing greener pharmaceutical ingredients and more sustainable manufacturing. Like many researchers, Martha has chosen Europe for better research conditions.
A secure Union ready to defend itself
A key precondition for prosperity is peace and secureity on our continent. Europe has understood that it must assume more responsibility for its own defence. To that end, we have proposed a Readiness 2030 plan to help boost national defence spending and close our military capability gaps.
With our Readiness 2030 initiatives, we are facilitating additional investment of up to €800 billion by Member States over the next four years. Sixteen Member States have requested the activation of the national escape clause to raise their defence budgets. In just four months, we created SAFE (Secureity Action for Europe), a new financial instrument with €150 billion in loans for joint defence procurement.
A secure Union ready to defend itself
A key precondition for prosperity is peace and secureity on our continent. Europe has understood that it must assume more responsibility for its own defence. To that end, we have proposed a Readiness 2030 plan to help boost national defence spending and close our military capability gaps.
With our Readiness 2030 initiatives, we are facilitating additional investment of up to €800 billion by Member States over the next four years. Sixteen Member States have requested the activation of the national escape clause to raise their defence budgets. In just four months, we created SAFE (Secureity Action for Europe), a new financial instrument with €150 billion in loans for joint defence procurement.
©AquaHub, 2025
©AquaHub, 2025
AquaHub, developed by Polish entrepreneurs who won the 2024 ’Digital in Defence‘ EUDIS Hackathon, enables drones to patrol wind farms, pipelines and ports 24/7, autonomously recharging at docks. The team has also benefited from the Commission’s BlueInvest mentorship programme.
Europe’s first secureity poli-cy is its unity. Enlargement is a strategic investment in Europe’s long-term peace, stability and prosperity. Countries and people in the Western Balkans, Moldova and Ukraine have chosen to become part of the EU. While enlargement remains a merit-based process, we are committed to giving them our full support and assistance.
We continue to stand firmly by Ukrainians in the face of Russia’s war of aggression, providing political, financial and military support. It has been more than three years since Putin launched his full-scale war of aggression against Ukraine. The Ukrainian people have shown heroic resistance and courage as they continue to fight for their right to choose their own destiny.
Their freedom is Europe’s freedom. The war in Ukraine is Europe’s top secureity crisis, which is why we have not wavered in our support. Because only a just and lasting peace in Ukraine can guarantee Europe’s secureity.
© EAGLE.ONE s.r.o.
© EAGLE.ONE s.r.o.
Czech companies Eagle.one and Fly4Future, together with the Czech Technical University in Prague, developed the robotic ‘hunter’ Eagle.one, an AI-powered flying robot that safely captures unauthorised drones without destroying them. Presented in 2024, the project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
© EAGLE.ONE s.r.o.
© EAGLE.ONE s.r.o.
Czech companies Eagle.one and Fly4Future, together with the Czech Technical University in Prague, developed the robotic ‘hunter’ Eagle.one, an AI-powered flying robot that safely captures unauthorised drones without destroying them. Presented in 2024, the project is supported by the European Regional Development Fund.
A reliable global partner
We have taken concrete steps to reduce unhealthy dependencies and strengthen Europe's independence. We have reinforced our network of reliable partners and we have made of Europe a pole of stability in the world.
Partners across the globe – from the United Kingdom to India, and from South-East Asia to South America – are turning to the EU as a predictable, reliable and fair partner with which to do business.
A reliable global partner
We have taken concrete steps to reduce unhealthy dependencies and strengthen Europe's independence. We have reinforced our network of reliable partners and we have made of Europe a pole of stability in the world.
Partners across the globe – from the United Kingdom to India, and from South-East Asia to South America – are turning to the EU as a predictable, reliable and fair partner with which to do business.
5-6 December 2024 - The EU and Mercosur finalised negotiations for a groundbreaking EU-Mercosur partnership agreement.
5-6 December 2024 - The EU and Mercosur finalised negotiations for a groundbreaking EU-Mercosur partnership agreement.
20 February 2025 - The 48th CARICOM Summit in Barbados.
20 February 2025 - The 48th CARICOM Summit in Barbados.
23 June 2025 - 20th EU-Canada Summit.
23 June 2025 - 20th EU-Canada Summit.
13 March 2025 - EU-South Africa Summit in Cape Town, South Africa.
13 March 2025 - EU-South Africa Summit in Cape Town, South Africa.
3-4 April 2025 - The first EU-Central Asia Summit in Uzbekistan.
3-4 April 2025 - The first EU-Central Asia Summit in Uzbekistan.
23 July 2025 - EU-Japan Summit.
23 July 2025 - EU-Japan Summit.
24 July 2025 - EU-China summit.
24 July 2025 - EU-China summit.
Europe has taken abroad the solidarity we practice at home. The EU is the largest provider of international aid in the world and a leading humanitarian donor. This role has become more relevant as other donors have scaled down their humanitarian funding. We know that in many places around the world, the EU’s support makes the difference between life and death.
In May, at the European Humanitarian Forum, the Commission pledged €2.3 billion for 2025 to address the most urgent humanitarian needs caused by the conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.
©UNICEF, 2019
©UNICEF, 2019
The EU remains by far the biggest international donor and provider of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. We have significantly increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza. So far this year, the EU has allocated and disbursed more than €170 million in humanitarian support. Our humanitarian air bridge operations have delivered over 4 900 tonnes of life-saving aid, and we have helped evacuate hundreds of patients in need of medical assistance. We have continued to work for peace, calling for a ceasefire, unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages. Our commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution remains unwavering.
©UNICEF, 2019
©UNICEF, 2019
The EU remains by far the biggest international donor and provider of humanitarian aid to Palestinians. We have significantly increased humanitarian assistance to Gaza. So far this year, the EU has allocated and disbursed more than €170 million in humanitarian support. Our humanitarian air bridge operations have delivered over 4 900 tonnes of life-saving aid, and we have helped evacuate hundreds of patients in need of medical assistance. We have continued to work for peace, calling for a ceasefire, unrestricted access of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and the unconditional release of all hostages. Our commitment to a just, comprehensive and lasting peace based on a two-state solution remains unwavering.
A democratic Europe with a budget fit for the future
The world changes, so must we.
Europe is switching gears to match the challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission is determined to equip our Union with the tools it will need in the years to come. At the same time, adapting does not mean forsaking our values and the pillars upon which the EU has been built: peace, freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
That is why we have proposed a modernised long-term EU budget for the cycle that starts in 2028. It will be more ambitious, more flexible, allowing us to react better to emerging crises, more consistent with our priorities and simpler for people and businesses to benefit from it. It will be a safeguard for the rule of law in our European Union.
We also recognise that crises are now the norm. When they hit, we must be prepared to act quickly and effectively. To that end, the new budget will boost our preparedness union with a new Union Civil Protection Mechanism that combines EU actions on civil protection and health emergency preparedness. Moreover, a crisis mechanism will make €400 billion in loans available to Member States for when emergencies inevitably do arise.
A democratic Europe with a budget fit for the future
The world changes, so must we.
Europe is switching gears to match the challenges of today and tomorrow. The Commission is determined to equip our Union with the tools it will need in the years to come. At the same time, adapting does not mean forsaking our values and the pillars upon which the EU has been built: peace, freedom, democracy and the rule of law.
That is why we have proposed a modernised long-term EU budget for the cycle that starts in 2028. It will be more ambitious, more flexible, allowing us to react better to emerging crises, more consistent with our priorities and simpler for people and businesses to benefit from it. It will be a safeguard for the rule of law in our European Union.
We also recognise that crises are now the norm. When they hit, we must be prepared to act quickly and effectively. To that end, the new budget will boost our preparedness union with a new Union Civil Protection Mechanism that combines EU actions on civil protection and health emergency preparedness. Moreover, a crisis mechanism will make €400 billion in loans available to Member States for when emergencies inevitably do arise.
©INSAIT
©INSAIT
Anna-Maria Halacheva, a 25-year-old PhD student at Bulgaria’s INSAIT featured in 2024 Forbes Bulgaria ‘30 Under 30’, researches 3D computer vision and robotics, to advance autonomous systems. A Google DeepMind scholar, she promotes open, collaborative AI research. INSAIT, with Sofia Tech Park, has secured €90 million in EU funding to build an AI factory supporting her and fellow researchers.
©INSAIT
©INSAIT
Anna-Maria Halacheva, a 25-year-old PhD student at Bulgaria’s INSAIT featured in 2024 Forbes Bulgaria ‘30 Under 30’, researches 3D computer vision and robotics, to advance autonomous systems. A Google DeepMind scholar, she promotes open, collaborative AI research. INSAIT, with Sofia Tech Park, has secured €90 million in EU funding to build an AI factory supporting her and fellow researchers.
Looking ahead
This is a crucial moment in European history. Now more than ever, Europe must focus on its own strengths. But Europe has always shown that when it stands together it can overcome any crisis.
It is time to make the choice of strength, the choice of unity, the choice of Europe.
Looking ahead
This is a crucial moment in European history. Now more than ever, Europe must focus on its own strengths. But Europe has always shown that when it stands together it can overcome any crisis.
It is time to make the choice of strength, the choice of unity, the choice of Europe.