European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen insisted on Wednesday that the European Union must eliminate the economic barriers preventing it from becoming a global powerhouse and further deepen its single market.
The senior official delivered this message ahead of her participation in a meeting with EU leaders, including French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, at an industry leaders’ forum in Antwerp.
The meeting comes on the eve of Thursday’s summit, where member states are set to discuss the priorities of Europe’s economic agenda, including strengthening the single market and enhancing the continent’s economic independence and competitiveness.
“Competition is not only the foundation of prosperity, but also of our security and, ultimately, of our democracies,” Von der Leyen warned.
One of the key challenges identified by the EU is that European companies face difficulties accessing capital for expansion, unlike their American counterparts. “To address this, Plan A would be to move forward together with all 27 member states,” Von der Leyen said. “But if we cannot reach agreement, the EU should consider enhanced cooperation among those countries willing to proceed.”
She added that Europe must boost competitiveness by increasing production within the continent and expanding its network of trusted partners, emphasizing the importance of signing trade agreements.
Following recent agreements with the South American bloc Mercosur and India, Von der Leyen said additional deals are underway with Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, and the United Arab Emirates.
One of the most significant and debated proposals to stimulate the EU economy involves prioritizing European companies over foreign competitors in strategic sectors — an approach strongly supported by Von der Leyen.
