Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, delivers 2015’s state of the union speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 9 September. European Commission

Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, delivers 2015’s state of the union speech at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 9 September. European Commission

Scheduled to start at 9am, the speech will be streamed here.

Last year, Juncker presented his Roadmap for a 'More United, Stronger and More Democratic Union' and outlined concrete initiatives on trade, investment screening, cybersecurity, industry and data.

Following last year’s speech, leaders met in Tallinn, Estonia, to agree on a leaders’ agenda to focus on the most pressing issues ahead of the European Parliament elections. This agreement is expected to culminate in a renewed commitment to an EU of action at a summit in Sibiu, Romania, on 9 May 2019.

New proposals are also expected at this year’s speech, which will no doubt fuel debate in the run-up to the European elections in May 2019.

The speech marks the start of the dialogue with the European Parliament and the Council in preparing the Commission’s annual work programme. It involves input from across the commission, commissioners, cabinets, directors general and EU ambassadors, which is discussed at a two-day seminar with the College of Commissioners to discuss the challenges and priorities for the year ahead.