EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has announced a minimum age for social media. "No social networks under the age of 13. No own user account under the age of 15," von der Leyen said on Wednesday in her annual State of the Union speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
This means that from the age of 13 to 15, only “mini accounts” set up and supervised by parents with limited functions and time limits for one hour per day are permitted. A safe design for the platforms will be mandatory for the age group between 15 and 18 years.
Von der Leyen announced that the Commission will officially present the “EU Kids Act” on Thursday. According to this Commission proposal, EU states and the European Parliament must agree on a common legal text. But positions in Europe are different. Federal Family Minister Karin Prien (CDU), for example, is also in favor of an EU-wide regulation and a ban for children under 13, while France is planning a social media ban for young people under 15.
But von der Leyen made a new proposal not only with regard to social media. In her speech she brought up “associated” EU membership for Canada. “We want to take the relationship with Canada to the highest possible level,” von der Leyen said in her State of the Union address to the EU Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday. She therefore wants to work together with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney “to ensure that Canada becomes the first associated member of the EU”.
“In this new world, we urgently need to rethink our partnerships,” said von der Leyen. “Some may think going it alone is the right answer,” she said. “But that’s not an option for us.”
Canada, like the EU, is suffering from the unpredictable trade and foreign policy of the United States under President Donald Trump. The American president recently intensified the trade dispute with Canada with new import bans and tariffs. Negotiations between the two economically closely linked countries had previously failed.
Prime Minister Carney was the first foreign head of government to attend the State of the Union speech in Strasbourg. “We see the world with the same eyes: from AI to climate change, from the Arctic to geopolitics,” von der Leyen said to Carney. “We believe that power does not belong to the strongest, richest or loudest – but to all of us.”
Von der Leyen announced a technology alliance and closer cooperation in the defense industry between Canada and the EU. The partnership is “not directed against others” but is intended to “make Canada and the EU stronger together”.
In relation to external threats, von der Leyen wants to create an alarm mechanism for security crises below the threshold of an armed attack, independent of NATO. “We need a mechanism analogous to Article 4 of the NATO Treaty,” said the top German politician. Von der Leyen also announced a concept for a European Security Council.
Regarding her push for a European Article 4 mechanism, von der Leyen said that it should provide for all member states to come together if one member state triggers it. A European response should then be coordinated together to deter further escalation and mitigate the effects.
"Our systems were made for a different world. They were shaped by well-intentioned attempts at consensus and compromise," she added. There is an urgent need for a consensus on how to respond to certain incidents. These are incidents below the threshold of an armed attack - but which still clearly threaten our national security.
Von der Leyen had previously called for a fight against “ultranationalists” and “anti-Europeans” in her speech. “They despise our values and they want to destroy our European unity,” said the Commission President. “So let us not just fight against it, but let us fight together for our European idea.”
Von der Leyen also called for action against Russian influence and disinformation. “The names may be different, but their goal is the same,” she said. A “battle of narratives” should “weaken trust in Europe”. Real concerns, such as the cost of living, are being used “as weapons to drive a wedge between us,” said the Commission President.
With a view to the development of artificial intelligence (AI), von der Leyen announced that he would consult with leading AI developers about how they can slow down their development of the technology. She will invite companies “to a discussion about how we can support the industry’s ongoing efforts to shift gears,” she said. At the same time, the EU must advance its own AI development.
“I am confident that AI has the potential to benefit humanity – if we approach it correctly,” said von der Leyen. To protect its own security, Europe needs its own AI models. “That’s why we have to massively increase our computing capacity,” she demanded. The Commission will present plans to ensure that such data centers run “in a clean and efficient manner”.
Von der Leyen toughened his tone towards China in view of the EU's trade deficit with China. “We will use all available tools to bring our relations back to balance,” she said. “We still have too many dangerous addictions.”
The EU imports significantly more goods from China than the other way around. According to Von der Leyen, the deficit is “a billion euros – every day”. The EU sources a number of important raw materials almost exclusively from China, such as lithium and rare earths. “We urgently need to buy and create reserves,” emphasized von der Leyen in her speech.
At their annual State of the Union address, Commission Presidents traditionally outline their policy priorities for the coming year and beyond. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was the first head of government ever to attend the speech on Wednesday. Ottawa is currently moving closer to Brussels amid strained relations with Washington.
