Ursula von der Leyen used her State of the Union speech to push an EU economic reboot and tougher security coordination.
Why it matters: The speech is a clear read on Brussels' priorities heading into the next policy cycle. Companies and investors will be watching for signals on competitiveness, regulation, migration and security cooperation.
- Von der Leyen delivered the 2026 State of the Union on Sept. 16 in Strasbourg before the European Parliament.
- She said the EU faces "an openly hostile world" and called the bloc both "the strongest it has ever been" and "as precarious as it has ever been."
- She said "kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority" and linked that to the single market, fragmentation and investment.
- Security was also central, with the speech covering hybrid threats, borders, migration and cyber risks.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen used her 2026 State of the Union address to argue that the EU must respond to external pressure with faster economic action and tighter security coordination.
Speaking Sept. 16 in Strasbourg, she said Europe is facing "an openly hostile world" while also saying "the state of the Union is the strongest it has ever been" and "as precarious as it has ever been." The Commission's official summary and video presentation framed the speech as a call for resilience and action. Read the official speech summary and watch the Commission video.
On the economic agenda, von der Leyen said "kickstarting Europe’s economy is our number one priority" and tied that to completing the single market, cutting fragmentation and lowering administrative burdens. The Commission's competitiveness roadmap, One Europe, One Market, says it aims to strengthen competitiveness and complete the single market by the end of 2027.
On security, the Commission's home-affairs readout said the speech addressed hybrid threats and called for an EU playbook and an Emergency Security Protocol. Reuters reported that von der Leyen urged member states to join forces against the hostile global backdrop and to build an independent Europe with the power to act. AP separately reported that she proposed Canada as the EU's first associate member and floated a NATO-like mechanism for responding to drone incidents, sabotage and cyberattacks.
By the numbers
- Sept. 16 - date of the 2026 State of the Union address in Strasbourg.
- 2027 - target year for completing the single market under the Commission's competitiveness roadmap.
Yes, but: Several of the more specific security ideas, including Canada as an associate member and a NATO-like response mechanism, were reported by AP rather than spelled out in the Commission summary.
What's next: The Commission's single-market roadmap targets completion by the end of 2027.