Strengthening EU economic security

This opinion will assess the European Commission’s latest Communication on strengthening the EU’s economic security, taking stock of the direction of travel and the progress made since the first Communication in 2023. Building on the EESC’s earlier contribution (REX/579), the opinion will focus on the EU’s external action: trade policy in a broad sense, but also international partnerships, supply-chain resilience and risk reduction, and the EU’s multilateral engagement. It will examine how the EU can protect strategic interests while staying open, predictable and cooperative—avoiding unnecessary burdens and fragmentation, and ensuring that economic security measures remain proportionate and compatible with sustainable development objectives.