September 17, 2024. On September 17, Mario Draghi outlined his plan to improve Europe’s competitiveness through closer cooperation in key areas and high investment in common goals.
Categories
Entrepreneurship
European Parliament: “Europe has the choice between withdrawal and paralysis or integration”
Share this Post
Mario Draghi speaks to the plenary about his report on increasing Europe's competitiveness. Photo: European Union 2024 - EP
Tags
Contact info
Silicon Saxony
Marketing, Kommunikation und Ă–ffentlichkeitsarbeit
Manfred-von-Ardenne-Ring 20 F
Fax: +49 351 8925 889
Contact person:
Mario Draghi, former President of the European Central Bank and Italian Prime Minister, has presented ideas for the future of European competitiveness on behalf of Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. He told the plenary that the EU needs to focus on three crucial issues: closing the innovation gap with the US and China, developing a common plan to combine the goal of decarbonization with greater competitiveness, and strengthening Europe’s security and reducing its dependence on foreign economic powers.
Maintaining the European way of life depends on improving competitiveness, and improving competitiveness requires closer cooperation and integration between European nations, Draghi said.
A proper competitiveness agenda would require annual funding of 750 to 800 billion euros for projects whose objectives have already been agreed by the EU. Some of this money could come from private sources, but another part would need to be secured through public investment, including through the issuance of new common debt instruments, specifically to finance important common projects, Draghi said.
In a debate following Draghi’s speech, many MEPs agreed with his analysis that the EU economy urgently needs to change course. The EU should focus on competition and innovation in key industries, along with more public and private investment in the social, green and digital transitions. Some MEPs called for more sovereignty and freer markets and emphasized that the fight against climate change is holding back the EU economy. Others noted that growth is compatible with clean innovative technologies and social investment to help citizens adapt their skills.
– – – – –
Further links
Photo: European Union 2024 – EP
