Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, delivered a video message to the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs of Parliaments of the European Union (COSAC) plenary meeting in Copenhagen. She thanked participants for their commitment to parliamentary democracy and highlighted the importance of meetings like COSAC for discussing shared challenges such as security and prosperity across Europe.
Von der Leyen addressed recent security threats, noting that “the threat to Europe is much closer than the frontline in Ukraine.” She cited incidents including sabotage of underwater cables in the Baltic Sea, violations of European airspace by Russian fighter jets, and drone disruptions at Copenhagen Airport. “None of which are accidents. They are deliberate attempts to intimidate European citizens and undermine our resolve on Ukraine. But they will not succeed,” she said.
She described Europe’s collective response as one marked by speed and ambition, referencing progress towards a Defence Union and significant investment in defense industries: “With 800 billion euro mobilised – the largest defence investment in the history of our Union.” Von der Leyen acknowledged Denmark’s contributions under Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s leadership, specifically citing military support for Ukraine and participation in Europe’s Defence Readiness Roadmap 2030. She also pointed out increased collaboration among parliaments across regions from the Baltics to the Mediterranean on issues including security and energy.
Turning to economic challenges, von der Leyen observed that global competition has become more confrontational. She identified high energy prices as a major obstacle for European competitiveness: “We know they are driven up by our dependence on imported fossil fuels, while it is nuclear and renewables that bring prices down.” She argued that clean energy supports both lower costs and greater energy independence but stressed that adequate infrastructure is necessary for these benefits to reach families and industry.
Von der Leyen highlighted investments not only in new low-carbon generation but also in power grids and storage solutions needed for reliability. Referring to recommendations from the Draghi report, she emphasized that improving competitiveness depends on investment and scaling operations within Europe. Recent discussions at the European Council focused on promoting innovation—through initiatives such as Choose Europe and the Scale-up Fund—and addressing other barriers like capital market depth via advancements toward a Savings and Investment Union. On artificial intelligence adoption gaps, she mentioned an upcoming AI First Strategy; for Single Market fragmentation, she referenced a proposed 28th legal regime aimed at innovative companies.
Concluding her remarks, von der Leyen stated: “And this is what unites us. Because we all want to live in a safe, prosperous and secure Europe. And to pass this reality on to our children and grandchildren.”
