The Week ahead

On Wednesday, the European Parliament is set to elect the new European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen. For the EPP Group, the main priorities for the Commission's new term are security and defence, to ensure that Europe can protect and defend itself; migration policy, to secure Europe’s borders against illegal migration; and competitiveness, to boost the economy and create quality jobs. “We know our responsibilities in a turbulent world. The Commission must take office on 1 December. Ursula von der Leyen's proposal for the next College of Commissioners is very balanced and unites Europe. Its confirmation will send an important signal: we will have a strong Commission for the years ahead. Europe needs stability and strength to address the major challenges of today and tomorrow, such as the war in Ukraine, migration, unemployment, competitiveness, and climate change,” stressed Manfred Weber MEP, Chairman of the EPP Group.

On Wednesday, the European Parliament will vote on the final deal for a €199.44 billion EU budget for 2025. “From the outset, the EPP Group was clear that we could not accept the proposal by EU Member States to slash €1.52 billion from the EU's budget for next year. We need a strong EU budget to boost competitiveness, economic growth, and job creation and improve the lives of people and communities across the Union. The final deal reached on Budget 2025 ensures that vital EU funding programmes will be better resourced to benefit people and businesses. The Union Civil Protection Mechanism, which enables the EU to respond to natural disasters, has also been strengthened to increase preparedness for future crises," said Andrzej Halicki MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chair and lead negotiator on Budget 2025.