Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, chose the informal leaders’ meeting in Copenhagen this week to lay out a strikingly ambitious agenda.
Her speech, though framed in the Parliament’s typically upbeat language, amounted to a clear declaration: Europe faces a crowded battlefield—economic, geopolitical, and military—and Brussels intends to respond on multiple fronts at once.
In a carefully crafted address, Metsola positioned the Parliament not as a distant law-making body but as a force for practical change. “Making things easier is what the European Parliament is all about,” she told her audience, promising to make life “better, fairer and easier for industry, for families, for farmers.” That promise is politically calculated. After years of criticism that the EU is overly bureaucratic and slow to act, Metsola is presenting the institution as the driver of simplification rather than its obstacle.
A Legislative Barrage in October
Metsola highlighted a flurry of legislative activity scheduled for this month. The Parliament is set to vote on revisions to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD)—two pillars of the EU’s environmental and corporate governance architecture. Alongside these, MEPs will decide on the Omnibus II Investment Simplification Package under InvestEU, as well as revisions to the Visa Suspension Mechanism and the Common Agriculture Policy Simplification Omnibus.
To the untrained eye, these might sound like dry procedural matters. But their implications are wide-ranging. The CSRD and CSDDD have drawn intense lobbying from business groups concerned about compliance costs. A more streamlined version would signal a tactical retreat from the EU’s often cumbersome regulatory model. Similarly, changes to the visa suspension rules reflect growing unease about uncontrolled migration—a politically explosive issue in multiple member states.
Metsola’s message is that simplification equals strength: fewer hurdles for industry, more stable investment conditions, and—critically—political space for the EU to act more decisively on defence and foreign policy. “Things are moving,” she insisted, urging EU institutions to “keep pulling the same rope.”
Defence: A Push for Collective Firepower
On security, Metsola adopted a notably firm tone. She stressed that the EU does not need to “reinvent the wheel” on defence but should pool resources, funding and know-how. That is a pointed comment aimed at member states’ longstanding habit of duplicating defence efforts and underinvesting in collective capabilities.
Her goal is to secure an agreement on the European Defence Industry Programme (EDIP) at the next trilogue on 7 October. EDIP aims to boost the bloc’s capacity to produce armaments and coordinate procurement—a response to the glaring shortfalls exposed by the war in Ukraine.
This is where rhetoric meets reality. The EU’s defence spending has risen sharply since 2022, but fragmentation remains a chronic weakness. National procurement policies still dominate, and Brussels has struggled to convince governments to surrender meaningful control over military capabilities. Metsola’s intervention suggests she recognises that the Parliament can play a role in accelerating compromise, even if the real power still lies with national capitals.
Ukraine: Drones and Determination
Metsola also made a point of recounting her recent trip to Kyiv. Her message was unambiguous: the EU remains steadfast in its support for Ukraine’s parliament and people. She highlighted how drones have become a “primary weapon of war”, underlining how the nature of conflict is shifting.
Ukraine, she noted, has both the battlefield experience and industrial capacity to expand drone production. What it lacks is financing. By calling this out, Metsola implicitly invited EU institutions and member states to step in.
Support for Kyiv has been tested in recent months as some governments grapple with domestic political pressures, but Metsola’s emphasis on Ukraine’s expertise and readiness indicates that Brussels still views Kyiv as a strategic partner, not just a recipient of aid.
Her phrasing—“what was once covert is now overt”—is significant. It reflects how drone warfare, once viewed as the preserve of major powers, has become normalised in open conflict. That carries implications not just for Ukraine, but for Europe’s own defence posture.
Energy: Severing Russian Ties with a Plan
Another key element of Metsola’s speech concerned energy. She reiterated the Parliament’s firm line on phasing out Russian gas and energy, calling it a direct blow against “the core of Russia’s war machine.”
This is politically resonant. While gas imports from Russia have fallen dramatically since 2022, parts of Europe remain dependent. Metsola acknowledged that breaking these ties requires more than political statements—it needs a “clear plan.” The details remain vague, but her intervention underscores that the Parliament expects the Commission and member states to keep momentum going into winter, when energy security becomes most politically sensitive.
Middle East: Cautious Optimism on Gaza
Metsola turned to the Middle East with rare optimism. She praised the peace plan for Gaza put forward by the President of the United States, endorsed by Gulf and Arab States, calling it an “important breakthrough.”
She outlined the plan’s potential: silencing the guns, ending suffering, returning hostages, delivering aid, preventing mass displacement, and excluding Hamas from future governance. It would, she argued, keep the two-state solution alive and offer “real hope” to a region in desperate need of it.
The European Parliament has limited direct influence in Middle East diplomacy, but Metsola’s strong endorsement is politically meaningful. It signals the EU’s willingness to align closely with Washington and Arab partners if Hamas accepts the framework.
Migration: Slow Progress, High Stakes
On migration, Metsola sought to project a sense of controlled momentum. She said the EU hopes to finalise its list of Safe Countries of Origin and revise the Safe Third Country Concept by year’s end, with the new Returns Regulation following early next year.
Migration remains a defining political fault line in Europe. Metsola’s language—“things are moving”—is measured, but the deadlines are ambitious. Achieving consensus among 27 member states on migration policy has long been fraught. By setting clear timeframes, Metsola appears to be testing whether the new Parliament and Commission can deliver where previous cycles have stalled.
A Parliament Trying to Lead
Taken together, Metsola’s Copenhagen address was not just a laundry list of initiatives. It was an assertion that the European Parliament wants to be seen as a driver, not a passenger. By focusing on simplification at home and assertiveness abroad, Metsola is trying to reframe Brussels’ often technocratic image into one of agility and purpose.
Sceptics will note that much depends on national governments, especially on defence and migration. But the Parliament’s role is not trivial. It sets political tone, defines legislative priorities, and can speed or stall negotiations. Metsola is betting that in an era of war, migration pressures and economic strain, a Parliament that appears proactive can regain public trust.
Whether she succeeds will depend not just on rhetoric, but on delivery. October’s legislative votes, the EDIP trilogue, and progress on migration will reveal whether Metsola’s confident words in Copenhagen are matched by real action in Brussels.
Main Image: Photographer: Daina Le Lardic Copyright: © European Union 2025 – Source : EP
