00:00Ursula von der Leyen has been under a lot of criticism.
00:02Speaking on Belgian airwaves just yesterday,
00:04the former EU Council President, Charles Michel,
00:07said she lacked new ideas and ambition.
00:09To hear exactly what he meant, we're joined now here on set by Charles Michel.
00:13So lovely to have you with us. Good morning.
00:15Good morning.
00:16So tell us, why so much criticism towards Ursula von der Leyen?
00:19I feel there's one top priority.
00:20There's no doubt that we need to improve our competitiveness.
00:24And seven years later, after the start of Madame von der Leyen,
00:28and as part of the Commission, there's a question, a very simple question.
00:31Is the EU a better place to invest?
00:34Is the EU a better place to innovate?
00:36And it's key for our security in the future.
00:39And we've seen a lot of regulations, over-regulations.
00:43We don't see significant progress in the field of the deepening of the single market.
00:48It should be the top priority.
00:49We don't see a lot of progress in the capital markets union.
00:53It makes us weaker, too weak in the current context.
00:56And is that all her fault? Is that Ursula von der Leyen's fault?
00:58No, certainly not.
01:00But I feel that she has a responsibility.
01:03And there is no doubt that she's very slow in making her decisions, point one.
01:09And you remember that on the United States, for instance,
01:13I have the impression that she decided to follow blindly the United States,
01:17even when it was against the fundamental European Union's interest.
01:22And is she a good listener?
01:23Sorry?
01:24Is she a good listener? Or is she failing to listen?
01:26Look, that's a question for the members of the parliament.
01:28It's a question for the member states.
01:30But I'm observing that today the EU is facing complicated challenges
01:36because there is more and more conflicts.
01:39There is a war on the European soil.
01:42We are in a difficult position in terms of competition with China, with the United States.
01:49And we should focus on the core issues.
01:51And the core issues, it's not about communication.
01:54It's not about more initiatives.
01:56That commission over the last years launched 400 initiatives.
02:01But where are the deliveries?
02:03Where is the improvement?
02:04When I meet with entrepreneurs, when I meet with businessmen,
02:07many of them, they are supporters of this European Union's project.
02:11But they are disappointed because they don't feel this sense of urgency.
02:16And we remember this time last year,
02:18Oslo van der Leyen was facing various votes of confidence in the parliament.
02:21Now, we've moved on from there.
02:22But as you can see, a lot of criticism towards her.
02:25Will she last her second mandate, do you think?
02:27Will she see it to the end?
02:28There's a question.
02:29There's a question.
02:29There's not for me.
02:31What I think is very simple.
02:34We know what you have to do.
02:35Mario Dali's report is on the table.
02:38Enrico Letta's report is on the table for three years.
02:41And it's very easy to, I think,
02:46to have a consensus on the need to implement those reports.
02:49I'm surprised because I have the impression
02:51that there is a lack of focus on what matters.
02:56But if it was so easy, would it not have been done?
02:59There's a question for the institutions.
03:01And I think that it's, of course,
03:04important not to underestimate some challenges and some difficulties.
03:08But at the same time, it's difficult not to observe,
03:11not to make the assessment.
03:12On the one hand, at the domestic level,
03:14in terms of strengthening of the economic basis of the EU,
03:18in terms of bringing support for our businesses,
03:21we don't see major progress, point one.
03:24And in terms of foreign affairs, I repeat once again,
03:27she started her mandate by following blindly the United States
03:32with a lot of consequences.
03:34There was a kind of naivety, I think.
03:36And many of the European leaders, a few years ago,
03:41I was one of them, made very clear that it was important
03:45to build this European sovereignty,
03:47this route that now she starts to talk about European independence,
03:50European sovereignty.
03:51But a lot of time was lost.
03:54And also European defence.
03:55I remember this time last year, she said Europe is in a fight.
03:58Who's winning that fight?
03:59And also, what about this idea that we're hearing
04:02about a new security architecture?
04:04Could that not rival NATO?
04:05I was the one who launched that idea a certain time ago.
04:09I'm not certain that we share the same philosophy.
04:12I think the member states will have a prominent role to play.
04:15But indeed, that's consistent with the need
04:18to build a true European defence,
04:20with European capabilities,
04:22with a strong industrial base,
04:24with a network of SMEs,
04:27with Ukraine being a fundamental partner for us
04:30and with others outside of the EU.
04:32And as you say, this was your idea.
04:33Did she copy and paste your idea and not give you the credit, perhaps?
04:37I don't ask any IP on that topic.
04:41I hope that the member states, this fundamental,
04:45will play a major role in coordinating more.
04:48And we need to be very operational, very concrete.
04:51We don't need new white papers.
04:53We don't need new working groups.
04:55We don't need new initiatives, coalitions, etc.
04:58We need to implement.
05:00We need to deliver.
05:01We need to act.
05:02I expect today, once again, a lot of words.
05:06What we need is execution.
05:08What we need is implementation.
05:09What we need is making our economic basis stronger.
05:13And what we need is a true coordination
05:16in the field of defence and security
05:18to build European capabilities.
05:20But if, when you pitched the idea, it didn't float,
05:23will it really work now?
05:24That's the question.
05:26Look, I have no doubt that the months to come will be difficult,
05:30will be chaotic for various reasons
05:33related to the various political landscapes.
05:35And because I think that the European Commission
05:37is not focusing on what should be the top priorities, point one.
05:41But, on the other hand, I'm still optimistic
05:44because I think there is no plan B.
05:45And I think it's a question of time.
05:47And sooner or later, there will be a clearer understanding
05:50that now it's time to act,
05:53now it's time for a reset of this European project.
05:56And it needs that we focus on the core issues.
06:01And the core issues that support businesses,
06:03economic development,
06:04making the life of our entrepreneurs easier,
06:07less regulation, smarter regulation,
06:09more investments.
06:11This is what is key.
06:14And on that point of economic development,
06:16very interesting that the Canadian Prime Minister,
06:17Mark Carney, is in Strasbourg,
06:19really elevating this year's State of the Union.
06:22What about all this talk about Canada becoming a member,
06:25an associate member?
06:26What's your view?
06:27First, that's what Canada has to decide,
06:29if they have an interest to build more ties.
06:31Well, they do.
06:32They've been very clear.
06:33On my side, I'm a great supporter of building stronger ties with Canada.
06:37Because in the current context,
06:39I think that we cannot be trapped
06:41because of the fierce competition between China and the United States.
06:44And we need, indeed, to work together with Canada,
06:48with Japan, with South Korea,
06:50maybe with Southeast Asia,
06:52with other parts of the world,
06:53which are determined to support a multilateral order,
06:58a rules-based order,
07:00and which are determined to work together to provide more stability,
07:04and also to avoid the temptation of double standards.
07:08If there are common rules,
07:10we need to stick to those rules
07:11and not to accept common standards.
07:13I think a lot of our viewers would agree with that.
07:15Sure, Michel.
07:16Thank you so much for joining us here this morning
07:18on this very special live edition of Europe Today.
Comments