State of the Union 2025: What’s Ahead for Tech in Europe
Today, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered her 2025 State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, outlining the Commission’s priorities for the year ahead amid rising geopolitical tensions and the drive to establish a more independent Europe.
“Battle lines for a new world order based on power are being drawn right now. So, yes, Europe must fight,” von der Leyen declared, emphasizing what she said is the urgent need for the continent to take responsibility for its own defense and security as well as technologies that will fuel European economies. This, she said, must be Europe’s “Independence Moment.”
The European Commission president’s message aligns with recent calls from leaders such as Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron, who have urged Europe to assert itself more forcefully or risk losing influence on the world stage.
While von der Leyen expressed strong ambitions for European sovereignty, her speech offered nothing concrete or new on technology.
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