The President of the European Commission is making decisions "very slowly" in the face of the current challenges facing the European Union (EU), said Charles Michel. He chaired the European Council during von der Leyen's first term as head of the Commission from 2019 to 2024. His words came ahead of the traditional, eagerly anticipated annual State of the Union address, which von der Leyen delivered in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. In it, she outlined her vision and priorities for the coming year. In turn, Michel focused on the unfulfilled promises of past years. "I see that today the EU is facing complex challenges: conflicts are increasing, there is war on European soil, and in competition with China and the United States, we find ourselves in a difficult position," Michel said on the flagship morning program Euronews Europe Today. "We need to focus on key issues, and the key issue is not about connections or new initiatives. Over the past few years, the Commission has launched 400 initiatives. But where is the result? Where are the improvements? When I meet with entrepreneurs, they are disappointed because they do not feel a sense of urgency." ## ## Excessive Regulation Makes the EU Weaker According to Michel, there is a deadlock in strengthening the EU's competitiveness, which he considers the main priority for the Union today. "There is a question, a very simple question: has the EU become a better place for investment? Has it become a better place for innovation? We see a multitude of regulations, excessive regulation," he noted. Michel added that there has been no significant progress, for example, in creating a capital markets union - essentially a single capital market within the EU, which is seen as one of the key pillars for strengthening competitiveness. "This makes us weaker, too weak in the current conditions." Acknowledging that this is not solely von der Leyen's fault, he nonetheless emphasized that "she bears the responsibility" and "there is no doubt that she is making decisions very slowly. I get the impression that she lacks focus on what really matters." The head of the European Commission touched on this topic in her speech on Wednesday, stating that thanks to the EU's single market and "world-class industries and services," the Union has a foundation to compete and grow alongside major global powers like China and the U.S., but remains too fragmented. Von der Leyen insists that the Commission is achieving results in this area: "We now have a political agreement on the roadmap 'One Europe, One Market.' And together we can and must complete this historic overhaul of the single market by the end of next year." ## ## "Blindly Following the U.S." In Michel's opinion, von der Leyen's approach to relations with the United States during Donald Trump's presidency also jeopardized Europe's security. She has been criticized by Members of the European Parliament and others for the so-called "Turnberry Agreement" - a trade deal between the EU and the U.S. concluded last summer, which some believed was too unfavorable for Europe. "I got the impression that she decided to follow the United States blindly, even when it went against the fundamental interests of the European Union," Michel said. "There was a certain naivety, it seems to me, and many European leaders - a few years ago I was one of them - emphasized how important it is to build European sovereignty, this European independence that she is only now beginning to talk about, but a lot of time has been lost." Nevertheless, Michel says he "remains optimistic" because "there is no Plan B." "I think it is a matter of time, and sooner or later it will become clear that the moment to act has come, the time for a reboot of the European project. And for that, we need to focus on key issues: business, economic development, easing the lives of our entrepreneurs, smarter regulation, more investment. This, in my opinion, is crucial.
