VNO-NCW and MKB-Nederland are positive regarding the reappointment of Ursula von der Leyen as President of the European Commission. ‘Her track record, the quick decision and the fact that the new President makes competitiveness the first priority give the business community confidence that the next European Commission will work towards a stronger EU. That is essential for companies’, the business organisations said in an initial response.
New accents Von der Leyen
In her speech in the European Parliament, Von der Leyen clearly set new accents. She emphasized, among other things, the importance of competitiveness, deepening the internal market, reducing regulatory pressure, and more investments. She also promised a Clean Energy Deal and a new European Competitiveness Fund to develop strategic technology and production. There will also be a greater emphasis on safety and, among other things, an internal market for defense equipment. ‘It is good that Von der Leyen shows ambition on these important themes. In our new EU policy agenda 2024-2029, we already made several concrete policy proposals for this.’
The agenda of the new Commission is further elaborated in a lengthy document of Political Guidelines.
Commission hopefully starts soon
The Commission President must now quickly get to work on putting together her team. ‘Hopefully, following Parliament’s approval, the new Commission can officially start on 1 November. The major challenges facing Europe require rapid action and a substantial agenda. This also concerns topics that were not yet mentioned in Von der Leyen’s speech, such as trade policy, transport and circularity.’
