01/12/2023
Key points
The EESC:
- welcomes the EU's decision to promote the principle of the EU's open strategic autonomy, and therefore the launch of the Global Gateway initiative at the end of 2021;
- argues that the Global Gateway will strengthen economic and political ties with the EU's partner countries, enabling the EU to compete effectively on a global level in the provision of infrastructure;
- regrets the lack of real involvement of local European stakeholders in the overall process of development. The EESC would like to play a more active role in the key stages of the decision-making process for development projects associated with the BRI and the Global Gateway.