EU's Ursula von der Leyen Outlines Future Amid Trade Deal Criticism

Ursula von der Leyen, the European Commission President, is preparing to lay out her strategic focus for the next year. This comes after a summer marred by a contentious trade agreement with U.S. President Donald Trump, which drew sharp criticism from European counterparts.

Von der Leyen's upcoming State of the Union address to the European Parliament is expected to highlight her goals for bolstering Europe's defenses and enhancing economic competitiveness, a continuation of commitments she made during her second term re-appointment. However, the trade agreement has been criticized as disproportionately favoring U.S. interests and undermining European economic sovereignty.

Despite these challenges, von der Leyen's administration has been active in proposing measures to reduce bureaucracy and enhance European industrial competitiveness. However, these efforts face critique from various EU lawmakers and advocacy groups, who argue that recent deregulation moves threaten environmental protections and corporate accountability.

(With inputs from agencies.)