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Macron warns: Europe at risk if it doesn’t renew itself
French President Stresses Urgency of Investments and Reforms to Maintain European Union Competitiveness Against US and China
Isabella V4 October 2024

 


 Emmanuel Macron sounds an alarm over the future of the European Union, arguing that overregulation and underinvestment are jeopardizing the bloc’s competitiveness against the United States and China. The French president calls for radical change to avoid a deep crisis.

Key points:

  •  Macron warns that the EU could become extinct if it does not improve its competitiveness.
  •  Criticism of over-regulation and low investment in the Union.
  •  Need for a strengthened European industrial strategy, with a call to invest €800 billion a year.
  •  Call for concerted action by member states to maintain fairness in global trade.


At an event in Berlin, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed grave concerns about the future of the European Union, saying the bloc is losing ground to economic powers such as the United States and China. According to Macron, the EU is hampered by overregulation and markedly insufficient investment, warning that if significant changes are not implemented, the Union could find itself in an unsustainable situation. His analysis is in line with a report by Mario Draghi, former Italian prime minister, who urged the development of a robust industrial strategy for Europe, with the need to mobilize €800 billion annually to avoid falling behind global competitors. Macron also referred to the need to complete the banking union’s financial regulation package and stressed that member states must work to make international trade rules fairer. His statements resonate with a vision of a more united and proactive Europe, particularly in the area of defense, where he stressed the urgency of greater European integration. In an unstable geopolitical environment, such as that generated by potential changes in the U.S. political landscape, Macron warned against Europe’s dependence on the United States for security. He has previously called NATO “brain dead,” saying that Europeans can no longer rely on Washington for adequate protection from external threats, such as those from Russia. The attitude of the current U.S. president, Joe Biden, and the possible future policies of a returning Donald Trump represent a further unknown for NATO’s stability and, by extension, European security. Macron’s call for a more assertive Europe on the global stage is part of a framework of complex and ever-changing challenges, where it is crucial for the Union to prepare for emerging risks.

In this context, the need to review European policies and strategies has become more urgent than ever.