Von der Leyen Summit Speech: EU Backs Multilateralism With 80 Trade Agreements
European Commission President von der Leyen spoke at the Summit in Support of Multilateralism in New York, stressing the importance of partnerships in a fractured world and noting the EU is expanding its network of trade agreements, now numbering 80, including India, Australia, Mercosur and Indonesia. She said these partnerships bring prosperity and economic security and serve as a platform for shared standards, shared rules and support for the WTO and its reform. She also called the UN indispensable, citing the Black Sea Grain Initiative, and said the EU supports the UN80 initiative for a simpler, more efficient United Nations.
Impact and considerations
The EU's trade-agreement network and its stance on WTO reform directly affect market access, supply-chain planning and cross-border compliance for companies, while the direction of UN reform may shape the pace of international rule coordination.
Key points
- Von der Leyen spoke at the Summit in Support of Multilateralism in New York, stressing the importance of partnerships in a fractured world.
- The EU is expanding its network of trade agreements, now numbering 80, citing India, Australia, Mercosur and Indonesia as examples.
- These partnerships bring prosperity and economic security and serve as a platform for shared standards, shared rules and support for WTO reform.
- She called the UN indispensable, citing the Black Sea Grain Initiative as an example of protecting global food security in a crisis.
- The EU supports the UN80 initiative for a simpler, more efficient United Nations able to address AI, climate change and regional conflicts.
Sources and time
- Primary source
- European Commission
- Other sources
- 0
- First source publication
- 22 Sept 2026, 06:00
- Page published
- 22 Sept 2026, 08:21
- Last updated
- 22 Sept 2026, 06:00
- Original links
- European Commission Press Corner：Speech by the President at the Summit in Support of Multilateralism (opens in a new tab)Primary source · en · Published 22 Sept 2026, 06:00