The euro area is facing pressing challenges: low labour productivity, weakening competitiveness, and slowing economic momentum compared to global peers like the United States. To reverse this trend, the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) is calling for an urgent and coordinated strategy. In a new opinion, the Committee outlines a plan to drive growth by deepening the internal market, cutting regulatory red tape, and ensuring fiscal sustainability. At the same time, policies must address transformative trends like artificial intelligence (AI) and the pressures of an ageing population.