First year of the von der Leyen Commission

Delivering on the promise

Following the result of the European elections, and the mandate received from the European Council and the European Parliament, the von der Leyen Commission put forward a set of ambitious goals for Europe’s future: climate neutrality by 2050; making the 2020s Europe’s Digital Decade; and making Europe stronger in the world with a more geopolitical approach.

When the world was hit by the coronavirus, the Commission worked to organise a concerted and coordinated European response to the emergency – procuring and distributing protective equipment, repatriating stranded Europeans and securing doses of a future vaccine. This was uncharted territory for the EU: we reacted boldly when our citizens’ health and safety called for EU action.

At the same time, our compass has not changed. The twin green and digital transitions are now even more firmly at the core of our programme, with new resources to accelerate the transformation. We are not just repairing the damage to our economy; we are reshaping it for the next generation.

Responding to the coronavirus pandemic

The Commission has worked on all fronts to contain the spread of the coronavirus, support national health systems and counter the socio-economic impact of the pandemic with unprecedented measures at both national and EU level. Public and private investment, at European and national levels, has been mobilised to find a vaccine for everyone across the world. A recovery plan has been set up to help repair the economic and social damage caused by the pandemic, lead the way out of the crisis and lay the foundations for a modern and more sustainable Europe

Key moments of the first year

	11 December: Launch of the European Green Deal, setting out a roadmap for how to make Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050
	5 February: New methodology for EU accession negotiations – to make them more credible, predictable and dynamic, as the first element in the Commission’s renewed enlargement strategy
	19 February: Publication of the agenda to shape Europe’s digital future, a strategy on data and a White Paper on artificial intelligence, opening up new opportunities for businesses, while focusing on trustworthy technology for citizens
	5 March: A new gender equality strategy for 2020-2025 sets out key actions to ensure equality between women and men in Europe
	9 March: A new EU strategy paves the way for a stronger, more ambitious partnership with Africa
	10 March: A new industrial strategy prepares the green and digital transformations of European industry
	13 March: The Commission calls for a decisive coordinated economic response to the coronavirus crisis, launches a new Coronavirus Response Investment Initiative (CRII) to help Member States fund their individual responses
	2 April: Launch of SURE, the new instrument for temporary Support to mitigate Unemployment Risks in an Emergency worth EUR 100 billion
	4 May: During the Coronavirus Global Response pledging event, EUR 7.4 billion in pledges is raised from donors worldwide for universal access to vaccines
	20 May: The Commission presents a comprehensive new biodiversity strategy to bring nature back into our lives and a farm to fork strategy for a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system.
	27 May: The Commission presents a new recovery instrument, NextGenerationEU, embedded within a powerful, modern and revamped long-term EU budget
	17 June: EU vaccine strategy is adopted to accelerate the development, manufacturing and deployment of vaccines against COVID-19
	17 September: The Commission raises climate ambition and proposes 55% cut in emissions by 2030
	18 September: The Commission presents EU’s action plan against racism 2020-2025
	23 September: New pact on migration and asylum, to build confidence and strike a new balance between responsibility and solidarity
	14 October: Renovation wave strategy: doubling the renovation rate to cut emissions, boost recovery and reduce energy poverty
	28 October: The Commission proposes a framework to ensure that the workers in the EU are protected by adequate minimum wages allowing for a decent living wherever they work
	11 November: First steps are taken towards building the European health union, to ensure stronger preparedness and response during the current and future health crises