Von der Leyen to Unveil EU-Wide Social Media Ban for Minors in State of the Union Address
An EU institution building in Brussels (file photo; illustrative of the European Union, the address itself is delivered to the European Parliament in Strasbourg). Photo: Fred Romero, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to deliver her State of the Union address in Strasbourg with a proposed "EU Kids Act," fresh Ukraine sanctions and stricter migration measures expected to headline the speech.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivers her State of the Union address to the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday, with an EU-wide social media ban for minors expected to be the headline announcement. The planned "EU Kids Act" would largely follow the recommendations of an expert group that reported in July, though the exact minimum age has not been finalized.
Von der Leyen is also expected to reaffirm EU backing for Ukraine, with fresh sanctions against Russia reportedly under consideration. In a symbolic gesture, 10-year-old Ukrainian rhythmic gymnast Oleksandra Paskal, who lost a leg in a 2022 Russian missile strike, is expected to appear on stage during the address.
Migration is set to feature prominently following July's Ceuta crisis, with the Commission expected to outline stricter measures including possible suspensions of asylum rules during mass arrivals, reforms to Frontex, and expanded funding for deportation centers. Climate policy is expected to shift from setting new targets toward implementation, emphasizing energy security alongside emissions goals, while enlargement talks with the Western Balkans and Eastern European candidates and the bloc's tense trade relationship with China, including a roughly EUR 1 billion daily trade deficit, are also on the agenda. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is attending as a special guest, reportedly seeking closer alignment with the EU amid strained relations with Washington.
The scope of the expected announcements, from child-safety regulation to migration enforcement to a new transatlantic-adjacent partnership with Canada, suggests a Commission trying to address domestic anxieties over children's online safety and migration at the same time it manages Ukraine and great-power trade tensions. Whether the EU Kids Act survives the months of negotiation among member states that any such measure would require is a separate question from whether von der Leyen announces it Tuesday.