State of the Union 2017 Live, as it happened

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker gave his annual State of the European Union address at the European Parliament on Wednesday morning (September 13).

EURACTIV.com brought live coverage, analysis and background from Strasbourg and around Europe.

The main points from Juncker’s speech:

  • A single president at the helm of the Commission and the Council, after having been elected in a pan-European campaign; 
  • A European minister of economy and finance. A future Commissioner for economy and finance, ideally a Commission vice-president, could carry out this role as well as chairing the eurogroup
  • Transnational lists for European elections.

> Read our Editor-in-Chief’s analysis: Without changing treaties, Juncker changes the EU

Trade/eurozone/enlargement:

  • Eurozone: Member states that are obliged to adopt the euro need support of a euro accession instrument, which will offer pre-accession assistance;
  • Need to strengthen European trade program. Opening trade negotiations with Australia and New Zealand; Calls for a new EU framework for investment screening;
  • All EU rules on worker mobility must be implemented fairly. To do that we are going to set up a common labour market authority.” Member states should agree as soon as possible on the European pillar of social rights;
  • Legal migration routes. Returning migrants with no right to stay in Europe; High time to bring Romania and Bulgaria into Schengen area, as well as Croatia, when it meets the criteria;
  • Greater and credible accession prospects to countries of the Western Balkans. But not during Juncker’s mandate; But there can be no EU membership for Turkey for some foreseeable future.

View our playlist of relevant snippets of the SOTEU speech on EU reform, Brexit, Cyber-Security Agency, double food standards and more.

Below you can look back (counter-chronologically) how the day of the State of the European Union 2017 speech unfolded, who reacted, and how the EURACTIV Editorial team covered today’s events.

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