Ursula von der Leyen: 7 figures that prove the complete failure of this Commission
On September 13th, before the European Parliament, Ursula von der Leyen mainly formulated dogmas and left unanswered many questions of urgent concern to Europeans. Ms von der Leyen is a master at using smooth words to announce massive new attacks on the freedom and well-being of citizens. In her speech, she herself wants to see the main priorities and flagship initiatives for the coming year outlined, building on the successes and achievements of previous years. However, nothing is easier than confronting the President of the Commission with the ruins of her mandate. The figures prove it, and anyone capable of reason knows it anyway: this Union is in massive crisis.
"Together, we have shown that when Europe is bold, it gets things done". This sentence is taken from the 2023 State of the Union address. So let's take Ursula von der Leyen at her word and see what the Commission's bold and courageous action has produced since December 2019. You don't need many words to do this, just a sharp look at the official publications of the Commission and the other European institutions. Anything else is superfluous.
Number 1: 11.5% (EU inflation rate in October 2022)
Mrs von der Leyen's mandate has led to massive inflation in the EU. After last October's peak, annual inflation is now estimated at 5.3% for the eurozone and 6.1% for the EU. Food products are still the most expensive (10%), followed by services (5.5%) and industrial goods (4.8%).
Figure 2: > 200% (change in energy import prices between 2020 and 2021)
Energy prices in the EU hit a record high in 2022. Between December 2020 and December 2021, import prices more than doubled in the eurozone. This is an unprecedented rise: energy import prices are fairly volatile, but generally do not vary by more than 30% over a year.
Number 3: 742 billion Euros (state aid approved for the "green transition")
Relaxing the rules on state aid is one of the European Commission's main instruments for supporting national investment in the green transition. At the beginning of September, the Commission had approved state aid worth 742 billion since February 2022, of which 48.4 per cent was for Germany. France comes second, with State aid accounting for 22.6 per cent of the EU total.
Number 4: 4.2 billion (secured portfolio for COVID-19 vaccines)
Another highlight of Mrs von der Leyen's term of office is the fact that the Commission has signed contracts with eight vaccine developers, securing a portfolio of up to 4.2 billion doses. Most recently, the European Commission granted a marketing authorisation for the adapted COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty XBB.1.5, developed by BioNTech-Pfizer. This is the third adaptation in response to new variants of COVID.
Figure 5: 2,585,960 (asylum applications in the EU since 2020)
962,160 non-EU citizens applied for asylum in the EU in 2022, representing a 52% increase in the number of applications. In the first half of 2023, approximately 519,000 asylum applications were lodged in the EU , an increase of 28% compared to the first half of 2022. Germany received the highest number of applications in the first half of 2023, accounting for 30% of all applications and almost twice as many as the next highest Member States, Spain (17%) and France (16%).
Number 6: 4.8 million (Ukrainians under temporary protection)
Around 5 million Ukrainians have been placed under temporary protection in the EU until the end of 2022. Their status has been extended until 4 March 2024, and they can move freely, choose the EU country in which they reside, and have access to housing, social assistance, the labour market and medical care. According to official figures, the EU has so far provided around €523 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Figure 7: 12 + 50 billion euros (peace facility for Ukraine)
Ursula von der Leyen will go down in history as the Commission President who successfully buried the European peace project. After several increases, the ceiling of the European Peace Facility is now over 12 billion.
The European Commission is now proposing the creation of a special financial instrument for Ukraine. The total amount earmarked for this mechanism is a maximum of 50 billion for the period 2024-2027.
A final word: since February 2022, the EU, its Member States and its financial institutions have provided Ukraine with some 53 billion in financial, humanitarian, emergency, budgetary and military aid, including around 15 billion in military aid under the European Peace Facility and from Member States. At the London conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in 2023, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed agreements worth more than 800 million to stimulate private investment in the recovery and reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy.
"Together, we have shown that when Europe is bold, it gets things done". This sentence is taken from the 2023 State of the Union address. So let's take Ursula von der Leyen at her word and see what the Commission's bold and courageous action has produced since December 2019. You don't need many words to do this, just a sharp look at the official publications of the Commission and the other European institutions. Anything else is superfluous.
Number 1: 11.5% (EU inflation rate in October 2022)
Mrs von der Leyen's mandate has led to massive inflation in the EU. After last October's peak, annual inflation is now estimated at 5.3% for the eurozone and 6.1% for the EU. Food products are still the most expensive (10%), followed by services (5.5%) and industrial goods (4.8%).
Figure 2: > 200% (change in energy import prices between 2020 and 2021)
Energy prices in the EU hit a record high in 2022. Between December 2020 and December 2021, import prices more than doubled in the eurozone. This is an unprecedented rise: energy import prices are fairly volatile, but generally do not vary by more than 30% over a year.
Number 3: 742 billion Euros (state aid approved for the "green transition")
Relaxing the rules on state aid is one of the European Commission's main instruments for supporting national investment in the green transition. At the beginning of September, the Commission had approved state aid worth 742 billion since February 2022, of which 48.4 per cent was for Germany. France comes second, with State aid accounting for 22.6 per cent of the EU total.
Number 4: 4.2 billion (secured portfolio for COVID-19 vaccines)
Another highlight of Mrs von der Leyen's term of office is the fact that the Commission has signed contracts with eight vaccine developers, securing a portfolio of up to 4.2 billion doses. Most recently, the European Commission granted a marketing authorisation for the adapted COVID-19 vaccine Comirnaty XBB.1.5, developed by BioNTech-Pfizer. This is the third adaptation in response to new variants of COVID.
Figure 5: 2,585,960 (asylum applications in the EU since 2020)
962,160 non-EU citizens applied for asylum in the EU in 2022, representing a 52% increase in the number of applications. In the first half of 2023, approximately 519,000 asylum applications were lodged in the EU , an increase of 28% compared to the first half of 2022. Germany received the highest number of applications in the first half of 2023, accounting for 30% of all applications and almost twice as many as the next highest Member States, Spain (17%) and France (16%).
Number 6: 4.8 million (Ukrainians under temporary protection)
Around 5 million Ukrainians have been placed under temporary protection in the EU until the end of 2022. Their status has been extended until 4 March 2024, and they can move freely, choose the EU country in which they reside, and have access to housing, social assistance, the labour market and medical care. According to official figures, the EU has so far provided around €523 million in humanitarian aid to Ukraine.
Figure 7: 12 + 50 billion euros (peace facility for Ukraine)
Ursula von der Leyen will go down in history as the Commission President who successfully buried the European peace project. After several increases, the ceiling of the European Peace Facility is now over 12 billion.
The European Commission is now proposing the creation of a special financial instrument for Ukraine. The total amount earmarked for this mechanism is a maximum of 50 billion for the period 2024-2027.
A final word: since February 2022, the EU, its Member States and its financial institutions have provided Ukraine with some 53 billion in financial, humanitarian, emergency, budgetary and military aid, including around 15 billion in military aid under the European Peace Facility and from Member States. At the London conference on the reconstruction of Ukraine in 2023, the European Commission, the European Investment Bank (EIB), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) signed agreements worth more than 800 million to stimulate private investment in the recovery and reconstruction of the Ukrainian economy.
This analysis was first published in: Le Courrier des Stratèges on September 11th, 2023
---
[4] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/energy-prices-2021/
[7] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/IP_23_4301
[8] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/infographics/asylum-applications-eu/
[9] https://euaa.europa.eu/latest-asylum-trends-asylum
[10] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/eu-migration-policy/refugee-inflow-from-ukraine/
[11] https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/policies/european-peace-facility/
[12] https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3355