With an unprecedented year behind us and many challenges still to come, the core of the work for Europe’s liberals in 2021 will consist of the continued fight for freedom, liberty, individuality, progress and solidarity for a more open, fair, progressive and free Europe.
The ALDE Party’s key priorities in 2021 can be summarised as:
- Safeguarding public health while upholding freedom and democracy
- Restoring public trust and strengthening European democracy and values
- Protecting jobs, prosperity and our common future
- Reinforcing the position of the EU as global leader
- Promoting sustainable development and the fight against climate change
- Participating in The Conference on the Future of Europe to bring about true EU reforms – more on ALDE Party’s input on this topic
ALDE Party President Hans van Baalen has also outlined his priorities in 2021, including among others:
- Bringing together liberals in the European institutions and the ALDE member parties in the EU Member States and the Associated Parties in Europe
- Working closely together with the Renew Group in the European Parliament and the liberals in the Council of Europe, the Committee of the Regions, OSCE and NATO
- Working closely together with the Liberal International and its Council of Liberal Presidents, the National Liberal Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI), the Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit (FNF) and the European Liberal Foundation (ELF)
- Representing and supporting ALDE Party and European liberals across Europe and beyond to defend our common values and shared interests
- Working closely together with the leaders of other European political parties which support European integration
- Advising the Dutch Government on the EU economy, budgetary, fiscal and monetary policy as member of the NL Eminent Persons Group on the European Economy (in a private capacity)
Moreover, ALDE Party member parties across Europe will continue implementing liberal values and policies at local, national and international level. Several key elections will take place in 2021, including in the Netherlands, Bulgaria, Norway, Germany, Czech Republic and Iceland.
Liberal Commissioners are also working on a range of key initiatives and projects, some of which are included below:
Margrethe Vestager and Thierry Breton
- Europe’s digital decade: 2030 digital targets
- Legislation on a range of topics including Artificial Intelligence, foreign subsidies and working conditions of platform workers
- Data package: Data Act and revision of the Database Directive
- Digital levy and a proposal for digital levy as own resource
- A trusted and secure European e-ID: proposal of a new European digital identity
- Action plan on synergies between civil, defence and space industries
Věra Jourová and Didier Reynders
- EU strategy on the rights of the child
- Legislative proposal to prevent and combat specific forms of gender-based violence
- Initiative to extend the list of EU crimes to all forms of hate crime and hate speech
- A Digital Judicial Cooperation and a Transparency and Democracy packages
- Strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities
Kadri Simson
- A ‘Fit for 55’ package including an initiative of reducing methane emissions in the energy sector
- A Revision of the Energy Tax Directive
- A Revision of the energy performance of Buildings Directive
Janez Lenarčič
- Communication on the EU’s humanitarian aid in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond
For more information on the Commissioner’s activities in 2021, have a look at the European Commission’s Working Plan
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