European Parliament
Strasbourg

Europe should remain "in the vanguard" of the fight against climate change, he continues - and pledges measures soon to reduce carbon emissions in the transport sector.

Given the dangers of online hacking to the continent, he adds, he would like to propose a European cyber-security agency.

Moving onto the issue of migration, he says he would like to thank Italy for "saving the honour of Europe".

He adds that he is "upset", however, by the "inhuman conditions" in reception centres in countries such as Libya and pledges the EU will work with the UN to end this "scandalous situation".

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Moving into French, Mr Juncker tells MEPs that Europe should remain "open to trade" but that there has be "reciprocity" in any agreements.

"We have to get as much as much as we give", he adds.

He says he would like to formally open negotiations with New Zealand and Australia, and make progress with Mexico and South American countries.

He would like negotiations to be finalised by end of the Commission's mandate in 2019, he adds.

He also announces a tool, however, that would allow the EU to screen foreign investments in "strategic" sectors such as energy - telling MEPs this is about Europe's "protective security".

European Parliament
Strasbourg

Beginning in English, Jean-Claude Juncker says that it was "plain for all to see" when he made his speech this time last year that Europe was "battered and bruised".

However, he says the EU is "slowly but surely gathering momentum", with five years of economic recovery and unemployment at a nine-year low.

The European Commission, he says, cannot take all the credit for this - although he adds that, had jobs been lost, "we would have taken the blame".

Europe's economy, he says, is "bouncing back" - with the wind "in Europe's sails".

Image source, European Parliament

The speech, first delivered in 2010, is based loosely on the “State of the Union” speech the US President traditionally gives to Congress every year.

It is seen as providing the Commission President with a chance to state the political objectives of the EU executive for the immediate future.

It is also an opportunity for the head of the Commission to announce new policies.

Mr Juncker used his first speech in 2015 to announce the EU’s controversial two-year scheme to redistribute 120,000 asylum seekers from struggling frontline states using binding quotas.

Announcements last year included plans for an EU headquarters for co-ordinating military co-operation, and a 100,000-strong youth volunteering scheme.

Hello and welcome to coverage of today’s European Parliament plenary sitting in Strasbourg, including Jean-Claude Juncker’s “state of the union” speech.

This will be the European Commission President’s third such speech since taking office in 2014.

It has been reported that Mr Juncker will use the speech to argue for greater integration in the eurozone and boosting global trade.

After the speech, MEPs from the Parliament’s eight political groups will then get their chance to respond.