The EC President Ursula @vonderleyen held a very impressive wide ranging Q&A today with The European Parliament, focussed more on the #EuropeanGreenDeal and long term issues than #Ukraine. It is the first such Q&A with the President in 12 years.
The session demonstrates the unique qualities of the European Union and its Parliament as a deliberative multi-nation decision making body with very real powers in relation its sovereign members which are bound by mutual benefit rather than sanction.
@vonderleyen was asked and answered some very tough questions about the “rule of law” issues related to Poland and Hungary, two countries which are on the front line of the Ukraine refugee crisis.
Notably absent from the proceedings; rancor and grandstanding.
Notably absent from the proceedings; rancor and grandstanding.
On the issue of #climatechange the signature policy ambition of this Commission the #EuropeanGreenDeal was addressed in multiple contexts in a manner which seemed sober and sensible. With undertakings to protect the energy vulnerable provided.
My impression from the Q&A is that this could possibly involve reopening existing agreements around energy pricing and or joint national level taxation and subsidy measures to blunt the impact of soaring gas prices.
At the end, in the final question NZ received a favourable indication regarding its trade negotiations with the EU.
President @vonderleyen in answer to a question on #mercosur NZ and Aus. negs. signaled out the NZ agreement as being the deal which has made the most progress.
President @vonderleyen in answer to a question on #mercosur NZ and Aus. negs. signaled out the NZ agreement as being the deal which has made the most progress.
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