Before the EU special summit on European competitiveness, the president of the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), Peter Adrian, warned urgently about Europe’s continuing loss of market share and global influence. “The global race for investments and innovations is speeding up, yet Europe is steadily lagging behind” Adrian told the “Rheinische Post” (Tuesday edition). “Excessive bureaucracy, high energy prices, and a still fragmented single market are stalling businesses and eroding competitiveness”.
Adrian criticized the EU Commission’s “Competitiveness Compass” as having asked the right questions but delivering no convincing answers or the promised policy shift. “Companies keep waiting fruitlessly for real relief” he said. “Words alone are not enough; what matters is what actually reaches the daily operations of firms”. He urged national leaders to overhaul economic conditions: reduce bureaucracy, lower energy and labour costs, design more competitive tax systems, create a truly unified single market, adopt a forward‑looking EU budget, and create greater space for innovation.
In a world of profound change, Europe must once again become an attractive destination for investors. “Additional regulation or protectionist reflexes would send the wrong signal” he warned. “We need a policy that returns growth and entrepreneurial freedom to the foreground”. Strengthening resilience hinges on giving companies better opportunities to diversify their sales and supply markets. To that end, the EU and the German federal government must intensify efforts toward reliable partnerships and trade agreements.
EU leaders will convene this Thursday for an informal summit, with the agenda centered on boosting Europe’s competitiveness.
