EC President proposes Canada as associate EU member, under-13 social media ban

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has expressed her wish for Canada to become an associate member of the European Union in her State of the Union speech on Wednesday.

Addressing Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, she said that the EU wants to bring the relationship with Canada to the highest level possible. “I would like to work with you on opening the door for Canada to be the first associate member of the EU.”

During a speech with covered a wide number of topics and issues facing the EU, President Von der Leyen also spoke about social media, an unveiled the Commission’s plans in this regard. She said that young Europeans now spend four to six hours per day on screens, and spoke of a young girl who took her own life, a victim of cyberbullying.

The European Commission President said that she convened a special panel of experts, spoke to young people, looked at Australia and others who have taken action, and said that it is time for Europe to act.

“Tomorrow, the Commission is proposing the EU KIDS ACT. We will take a gradual and differentiated approach. Each age has its own sensitivities. And therefore, each will have its own tailored protection level. No social media under the age of 13. No personal account under the age of 15.”

That means, from 13 until a child turns 15, only mini accounts set up and supervised by parents or guardians with limited features and time restriction to one hour a day, she said. “And between 15 and 18, safe design will be an obligation for the platforms.”

“We do not have to accept addictive features. We do not have to accept children being drawn into ever more extreme content. We do not have to accept that girls have their photos used for AI-generated sexualised images. So we are reversing the burden of proof. Platforms will have to prove to us that they are safe. Because it is not about our minors accessing social media. It is about when and how do we allow social media to access minors.”

Single Market

Turning to the single market, she said that there is now the political agreement on the One Europe, One Market Roadmap (which aims to strengthen Europe's competitiveness). “Together, by the end of next year, we can and must complete this historic overhaul of the Single Market.”

She said that today speed is essential.

“A permit or a form, a grid connection or a financing decision. All of this can determine where an investment is made. Where jobs are created. We need to move much faster. This is why we will put forward proposals to further speed up permitting. Where projects are in Europe's strategic interests, we need to massively accelerate. And where the administrative burden is slowing down business and SMEs, we need to slash that too.”

A new banking package

She also spoke about establishing a new European Corporation on Critical Raw Materials. “It will help us obtain and stockpile what we need. For electric cars, chips and batteries, clean tech and defence. And so much more,” she said, when noting certain “dangerous dependencies” that EU has, such as being more than 80 per cent dependent on China for a number of critical raw materials.

Regarding financing, she spoke of the need to create conditions for companies to attract investment and grow. “We need a banking system that is built for growth – not just stability.” She said that the EU Commission will put forward a new banking package focusing on simplification and tackling fragmentation. “We know the demand for capital is out there. But we need a greater capacity and appetite for risk.”

‘A champion of adaptation technologies’

The EC President also spoke about climate change, and said that this summer almost no part of the continent was spared.

“We will present a new framework for climate resilience next month. We will identify 100 of the most vulnerable territories in Europe. And we will assess the risks – and at which level they should be managed. This will give us a whole of society approach – all the way through to the local level where adaptation matters most. And it will aim to make Europe the champion in adaptation technologies – a huge emerging market.”

She said that Europe is already a leader in drought-resistant crops, energy-efficient cooling and flood prevention, “and we must capture the market.”

But she said that today only around 25 per cent of catastrophe losses in Europe are covered by private insurance. “We need to take action to close this gap. This is why the Commission will set up a Climate Insurance Alliance.”

In addition, she said that the Commission will present a European Heatwave Plan, stressing the need for better early warning systems and health preparedness.

She also spoke of moving AI from the screen to the “real economy,” mentioning the factory floor, precision agriculture, hospital wards etc.

“We are now focusing on five of the highest-value sectors in which industrial AI has the biggest potential and we have the data: health, transport, agri-food, advanced manufacturing, and defence and space. In November, we will announce game-changing initiatives across these sectors.”

Regarding jobs, she said that the benefits of AI are unevenly spread between skills sets, regions and generations.

She also said that AI must help develop skills and improve the quality of jobs, and give workers a fair chance. “This is why we need our Quality Jobs Act. And we will deliver before the end of the year.”

Regarding trade, she said the EU has trade deals with more than 80 countries. “I can announce today a new international connectivity project. It will link the South Caucasus and Central Asia directly to the European market – what we call the Middle Corridor. Through Global Gateway, we will aim to crowd in up to €12 billion in public and private investment. Our goal is to diversify routes, triple trade flows and slash freight transit times by 2030.”

Featured image: European Union 2026 - Source : EP / Fred Marvaux