Contribution from Dr. Ralf Pastleitner, Director Public Policy Markets & Airline, Head of the Corporate Office EU, TUI GROUP
As part of the vital debate on European competitiveness, TUI underscores the remarkable strength and untapped potential of the travel and tourism sector. Tourism is one of Europe’s most significant economic engines – supporting 26 million jobs (12% of total EU employment) and contributing more than 10% to EU GDP (WTTC forecast for 2025). […]
Contribution from Quang-Minh LEPESCHEUX, Director, European Government Affairs, Microsoft
The impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on economic competitiveness will shape opportunities for everyone – from individuals to companies, communities, and countries – and Europe stands at a pivotal moment. The continent is stepping up its investments in AI, reflecting a growing ambition to strengthen its digital capabilities. Yet it still lags behind global […]
Contribution from Nathalie Errard, SVP Head of EU & NATO Affairs, Airbus
We are very concerned about the lack of speed and ambition to implement the recommendations of the Draghi’s report in aerospace and defence, even if there seems to be a growing recognition that aeronautics, space, and defence are EU strategic sectors which contribute to the EU strategic autonomy. The EU sovereignty and priority for […]
Time to turn Draghi’s plea into action
Introduction One year ago, Mario Draghi delivered a landmark analysis of the European Union’s declining competitiveness in what has come to be known as the Draghi Report. Unfortunately, since then the sense of urgency has been amplified in an increasingly fractured geopolitical world. The stakes for the EU have never been higher, especially in […]
Europe’s Energy Markets: If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It
Abstract The Draghi Report offers a critical assessment of Europe’s energy markets, with particular focus on electricity and natural gas: price dynamics are primarily the result of poorly designed climate policies and structural inefficiencies in energy market regulation and design. This article focuses on Draghi’s observations on energy markets and argues that, while the report […]
EU Climate Policy and Competitiveness: How the EU Can Strengthen Competitiveness by Reforming Climate Policies
Abstract EU climate policies should be pursued as cost-efficiently as possible. Costly measures make the green transition less likely to succeed in the long run and unnecessarily reduce EU competitiveness. Even while observing the subsidiarity principle, the global externality of climate change leaves ample room for policy action at the EU level. In fact, the […]
Smarter Rules, Stronger Markets: How the EU Can Streamline Its Digital Agenda
Abstract The European Union has positioned itself as the global leader in regulating digital space via the Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, and AI Act. Although the aim has been to improve consumer protection and ensure fair competition, these Acts collectively threaten to undermine the competitiveness of the EU globally. Based on the Draghi […]
Draghi’s Dilemma and the Ongoing Failure of Green Deals: Insights from Northvolt’s Bankruptcy
Abstract This article offers a critical analysis of the potential fallacies of EU Green Deal industrial policies, using the case study of the massive bankruptcy of Swedish battery producer Northvolt. The article argues that extensive government support and political connections enabled the company to attract huge funding and expand rapidly despite lacking the necessary technical […]
The Time Is Now: Improving European Competitiveness
Abstract This article argues that Europe is at a critical juncture: it is facing geopolitical threats from Russia and the US while experiencing a steep decline in its share of global GDP. It further argues that to regain competitiveness, Europe must act decisively across four main areas: finances, regulation, research and development, and security. To […]
Europe’s Long-Term Capital: Insufficient Funding for Innovation
Abstract Europe is economically falling behind, and without structural reforms it will be impossible to recover lost ground. Although the scale of Europe’s decline is widely acknowledged, and the importance of savings is frequently emphasised, the long-term savings gap is frequently underestimated. Europe suffers from two major deficits – underdeveloped retirement savings and low stock […]
Innovation in the Shadow of Regulation: Removing the Barriers
Abstract This article engages with a central dilemma highlighted in the Draghi Report on European competitiveness: how to protect innovation while avoiding regulatory overreach. While the report accurately identifies market fragmentation and excessive regulation as key obstacles, it stops short of offering a coherent deregulation roadmap. This article addresses that gap by advancing a policy […]
Liberalism and Dirigisme – a Potential Love Story: How Five Concrete Reforms Can Overcome the EU’s North–South Divide
Abstract This article claims that the EU’s progress on competitiveness is stalled by a paralysing ideological divide between northern market liberals and southern state interventionists (dirigistes), arguing that these philosophies can be reconciled. Five key reforms are proposed, including creating a true Capital Markets Union to unlock private investment, establishing a harmonised European business […]
Accountability without Overreach: Rethinking EU Monitoring for Competitiveness
Abstract A year after the Draghi Report’s call to restore European competitiveness, the EU remains short of outcome-oriented instruments to accurately monitor the tangible effects of its regulatory agenda. This article proposes a new, streamlined monitoring system based on three foundations (decentralisation, outcome-based indicators, and incentivised compliance) and discusses ways in which blockchain and […]
Reinventing Productivity in the European Union: Three Missing Links
Abstract The recent shift in policy focus in the EU to competitiveness and productivity growth is likely to lead to regulatory simplification, the removal of remaining barriers in the Single Market, and a greater emphasis on innovation. This contribution explores the three key ingredients missing from the policy mix that are needed to boost labour […]