Time to choose: A Europe that leads or one that follows

Our Group is not representing political parties nor ideologies – we are representing proud entrepreneurs, SMEs, and employers—people who care about their companies, their employees and the communities they sustain.

We speak for the bakers in Barcelona, the coders in Kraków, the designers in Dublin, and the manufacturers in Milan. We speak for the doers, the risk-takers, the innovators.

For us, the EU is not just a political project. It is a platform of possibility. It is why a startup in Sofia can partner with a tech hub in Stockholm.

It is why a family-run vineyard in Bordeaux can sell its wine in Berlin, without barriers.

It is why ideas, goods, and people move freely—across borders, across cultures, across languages.

We are not just beneficiaries of the European project—we are its builders. Every job created, every apprentice trained, every export shipped strengthens the fabric of Europe.

A world of flux

Yet, the global economic landscape is shifting beneath our feet. Rising protectionism, fragmented markets and a race for subsidies threaten the very foundation of our shared prosperity. But in every challenge lies an opportunity. The question is: will Europe merely react to change –or will it shape it?

To thrive in this “new normal,” competitiveness has to be at the heart of our agenda. Not as a buzzword, but as a principle guiding every policy choice. Because a strong economy is not just about numbers—it’s about people: about jobs, innovation, security, and Europe's ability to uphold its values in a fast-changing world.

Businesses at the core

Let us be clear: strong businesses are the backbone of a strong Europe.  From small family enterprises to global champions, they create value, drive innovation, and fund the public services we all rely on. But they need room to breathe.

That is why we call for a radical reform of the EU’s regulatory approach: streamlining, simplifying, and supporting, moving from legal harmonisation to economic policy.

Rules should serve one purpose: to make the single market function properly, delivering jobs, innovation, and prosperity.

Europe must make the single market work for real. That means sweeping away layered rules, freeing trade and investment across the Union, reserving part of our EU demand for products "made in Europe" and making foreign direct investment conditional on our terms.

Investments must flow into high-value innovation, cutting-edge technologies, and the talent that will shape our future—backed by capital markets and infrastructure that connect and empower.

The past weeks have shown that security and the economy are intertwined. From cyber resilience to defence, to energy and food security our European businesses are part of the solution—if they are free to deliver it!

The green transition must be business-driven, innovation-led, and globally ambitious. Europe can lead the way—but only if we enable our entrepreneurs to do what they do best: create, adapt, and grow.

We need to build our future on the key Pillars for Transformation

• Innovation & Technology: Invest in and build world-class research ecosystems.
• Green Growth & Industrial Strength: Secure access to resources, streamline permitting, and strengthen strategic sectors, industrial competitiveness and circular economy.
• SMEs & Entrepreneurship: establish a business-friendly governance, improve market surveillance, support start-ups and founders
• Labour & Skills: Promote mobility, training, and flexible work for tomorrow's workforce.
• Energy & Infrastructure: secure, sustainable systems to power growth
• Smart Regulation: Replace burdens with legal frameworks that support growth

Together, we can unlock Europe’s potential. Together, we can build a continent that is competitive, resilient, and prosperous.

The story of Europe is not yet finished—and the next chapter begins with us.

Sandra Parthie, President of the EESC Employers' Group