European Commission's State of the (European) Union #SOTEU full picture booklet

The European Commission's State of the (European) Union web page in English contains a link to a publication described as the ”complete picture”, with a page element hinting at future translations of this extended version of the 9 September 2015 address to the European Parliament.

The full picture booklet (64 pages in all; 9MB) offers president Jean-Claude Junckers' written (authorised) #SOTEU speech text, the Commission's letter of intent to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU, the progress report on the Commission's ten priorities and a transcript of the speech delivered, plus closing remarks (at the end of the plenary debate).

Our general interest

According to Article 17(1) TEU the Commission shall promote the general interest of the Union and take appropriate initiatives to that end.

As I see it, the general interest of the EU is the (enlightened) interest of the citizens of the European Union. In practice, the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats facing the EU are translated into the political vision and will of the European Commission, leading to legislative proposals and other initiatives.

In the State of the Union publication we are offered a view of how president Juncker and his Commission - #teamJunckerEU - intend to promote our interests in 2016.

Ralf Grahn