The European Union needs a mechanism similar to that of NATO to coordinate bloc-wide responses to drone incursions, acts of sabotage, and cyberattacks, von der Leyen said in her State of the Union 2026 address to European Parliament in France’s Strasbourg on Wednesday.
The EC President also called on the EU to "pace" innovation to mitigate the growing cyber risks of "frontier" AI models. "As the frontier models become more capable, these risks have come more sharply into focus," she added.
On migration, von der Layer said the EU will propose an emergency framework to prevent sudden massive inflows of migrants.
In addition, the EC President proposed a total ban on social media for under 13s, while children aged 13-15 would be allowed “mini accounts” set up and supervised by their parents.
In her speech, she said the EU must protect its values and democracy while seeking to strengthen its competitiveness, security, and ability to respond to external challenges.
