The EU is attempting a change of pace on competitiveness

Competitiveness is the watchword of European week. They will be held within a few hours three key meetingsall dedicated to a single goal: relaunch European industry. The first appointment is scheduled for tomorrow Antwerpwhere about a thousand European industrialists they will gather around the ten point platform launched in 2024, with the ambition of building a truly “Industrial Deal“capable of giving rapid responses to ongoing changes.

The French president Emmanuel Macronthe President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyenthe German chancellor Friedrich Merz and the Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever they will be present to listen to the requests of the approximately one thousand industrialists expected in Belgium. The meeting will be held on the eve of a more important appointment, that of European Council in formato “retreat” al Alden Biesen Castlepreceded by a preverts summoned by Belgium, Germany and Italywhich will bring together around twenty heads of state and government.

The pre-summit for Germany and Italy

The pre-summit will be an opportunity to reiterate the positions of Germany and Italy on the need for one simplification of procedurescapable of overcoming theinstitutional impasse and decisions by 27, which are not always possible, thus returning more powers to the Member States. A hypothesis also taken up by the president of the EU executive, von der Leyen who in a preparatory letter opened up the possibility of overcoming theunanimity of decisions.

It’s about three taps which make up a coherent sequence on the agenda of the European sovereignty and on the acceleration of competitiveness of the Unionalmost two years after i report by Letta and Draghi. Il informal retreat – in which the two former Italian prime ministers will also participate – will be an opportunity to take stock of the implementation of theirs recommendationsbut also to seek answers to slow decision-making in Brussels in a global context that moves much faster. In preparatory briefings the word “rhythm“: Europe must be able to dictate its own agenda, instead of chasing economic powers like United States and China. Artificial intelligence, space, cleantech, biotech, medtech, defense, semiconductors and robotics they are the chapters on which the Union wants to concentrate its efforts to conquer a leadership industriale in sectors currently dominated by Chinese and US big tech companies.

European preference and decision-making speed

The debate will also include the topic of “European preference” in the procurementwith the aim of strengthening the companies producing within the Uniona point also recalled by von der Leyen in a recent public letter. Competitiveness often rhymes with speedthe one that is missing European processes. The most cited example is the Mercosur: after 25 years of negotiations and a signature in Paraguay, the agreement was blocked by European Parliamentwho voted for the appeal Court of Justicerisking postponing the final vote for another two years.

New cooperation formats and the “big six”

Faced with these difficulties, on January 28th the “big six” – Italy, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands and Poland – to guide the economic revival. At the invitation of the French Minister of Economy, the six ministers inaugurated a new format of enhanced cooperation on economic issues, designed to guide and accelerate the decisions of the Twenty-seven. An approach that is also reflected in the proliferation of bilateral summits on large files: ItalyGermanythe next one Franco-Italian summitand the meetings ofFranco-German axis.

The challenge of European competitiveness

This week could score a change of pace for theeconomy of the 27: Between industrial pressures, political leadership e new cooperation formatsEurope is called to demonstrate that it knows how to run. The question hovering over all the tables is simple and crucial: will the Union succeed in transforming its ambition competitiveness in quick and operational decisionsbefore the world speeds up once again?