CESI reaction to the 2025 State of the Union

In her 2025 State of the Union speech, President Ursula von der Leyen urgently warned of the threats the EU is faced with, she conjured the urgency of determined and above all unified EU action and reaction: “Europe is in a fight. A fight for a continent that is whole and at peace. For a free and independent Europe. A fight for our values and our democracies. A fight for our liberty and our ability to determine our destiny for ourselves. Make no mistake – this is a fight for our future”, she said.

Defence and preparedness

The sense of urgency is shared by CESI, which has been calling for stepping up the EU’s defence and preparedness capabilities for many years. In this context, CESI also welcomes the EU’s Internal Security and Preparedness Union Strategies as vital milestones for safeguarding citizens against complex and cross-border threats. These strategies underline that security today is not only about external defence but also about resilience at home – from tackling cybercrime and disinformation to ensuring that public services are equipped to protect the most vulnerable.

The announced Roadmap for European Defence Readiness and a new European Defence Semester underlines the Commission’s determination to bolster its strategic autonomy.

While this is strongly supported, CESI insists they can only succeed if the people who serve in Europe’s armed forces – both military and civilian – are placed at the heart of these initiatives. Investments in new capabilities and industries are vital, but they will only be credible if matched by improvements in the working conditions, wellbeing, and recognition of Europe’s defence personnel.

For CESI, the involvement of military unions and workers’ representatives in shaping the defence agenda is indispensable. Their practical experience is crucial to ensuring operational readiness, sustainability, and democratic legitimacy.

Defence cannot be developed solely as a top-down exercise: it must be built on genuine engagement and consultation with those who carry out the mission every day. Only in this way can a future European Defence Union be both effective and fair.

The Quality Jobs Act – An opportunity that must deliver for workers

In addition to defence matters, Ms von der Leyen also laid out a wide-ranging agenda: from competitiveness measures, industrial strategy and digital regulation to climate adaptation, and migration.

While the breadth of themes reflects the unseen challenges the EU currently faces, the speech contained no new elements for workers and trade unions. Noteworthy was solely the announcement of a forthcoming legislative Quality Jobs Act – in addition to, or as part of, the already-planned Quality Jobs Roadmap.

On other sectors central to CESI’s membership – such as health, education, postal and telecom services, and public administrations – the address offered little that was new.

The proposal for a legislative Quality Jobs Act could be a major step forward, but the speech provided no details or timeline.

CESI stresses that the Act must not remain a vague political promise: it must build directly on the priorities outlined in the Quality Jobs Roadmap developed together with our affiliates.

This means tackling precarious work and in-work poverty, ensuring fair wages and decent conditions in all sectors, strengthening social dialogue and collective bargaining, and guaranteeing real opportunities for skills development and lifelong learning. Above all, it must enshrine the principle that quality work is the foundation of Europe’s competitiveness and resilience.

CESI calls on the Commission to engage trade unions closely in drafting the proposal and to ensure that the Act becomes a genuine pillar of a more social Europe.

Klaus Heeger, Secretary General of CESI, said: “We appreciate President von der Leyen’s commitment to quality jobs and stronger European defence. But appreciation is not enough – what workers across Europe now urgently need are concrete steps and practical solutions. It is time to turn high-level announcements into tangible improvements for people’s lives, in workplaces, in public services, and in the armed forces. CESI and its affiliates stand ready to work with the European institutions to make this a reality.”