European Commission presidential candidate Ursula von der Leyen announced Thursday that if elected, she would appoint a vice-president to coordinate competitiveness and prosperity based on less bureaucracy and a new industrial and green pact.
Presenting her candidacy’s priorities to MEPs at a session in the French city of Strasbourg, the German defended a Europe that supports companies but also people, adding the need to “deepen the market” and “cut bureaucracy.” “more trust, better execution.”
While highlighting the investments that need to be made in the company, von der Leyen also stressed the importance of investments already made in technology and clean energy such as clean hydrogen, with Europe investing more than “the US and China combined.”
“In recent years, we have concluded 35 new agreements with global partners on clean technologies, hydrogen and key raw materials,” the German added, noting that this will be a continuation of the European Environmental Pact and thus the achievement of the goals set for 2030 and 2050.
“I will present a new clean industry pact in the first 100 days of the next term,” he also said, noting that Europe is “decarbonizing and industrializing at the same time.”
Investments will therefore always have a green basis, since the prosperous economy they protect is also a matter of “intergenerational justice”, given the climate change mitigation goals.
Von der Leyen recalled that in the first half of this year, half of electricity production came from renewable energy sources, and “investments in clean technologies in Europe have more than tripled under this mandate.”
The new clean industry deal would also help cut energy costs, the official said, recalling Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “blackmail” over reduced “access to fossil fuels.” “But we fought back together. We invested heavily in cheap, domestic renewable energy. And that allowed us to free ourselves from dirty Russian fossil fuels,” he concluded.
Ursula von der Leyen will present her programme and proposals for a possible re-election for a new five-year term this Thursday.
The European Parliament must approve, in line with the proposal made by the European Council at the end of June, the new Commission President by an absolute majority (half of all MEPs plus one), with Ursula von der Leyen needing the green light from at least 361 parliamentarians (out of 720).
Author: Lusa
Source: CM Jornal
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