President Juncker's State of the Union Speech: ratification of Paris Agreement top priority for EU and its Member States

European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker urged the EU to ratify the Paris Agreement without delay in his State of the Union Speech to the European Parliament today.

He highlighted the critical role the EU played in Paris in brokering the first universal and legally binding deal to tackle global warming stressing how the EU − together with its partners in the High Ambition Coalition – fought to secure the most ambitious agreement possible. The two biggest emitters, China and the US, have already ratified the Paris Agreement.

President Juncker called on the EU and its Member States to complete their respective ratification procedures as swiftly as possible to maintain the EU's global leadership in climate action.

Read more:

• State of the Union 2016: Towards a better Europe - a Europe that protects, empowers and defends
• Recorded version of President Juncker's speech
• State of the Union 2016 brochure
• SOTEU website
• Paris Agreement