Investments and reforms for competitiveness and a Capital Markets Union

The European Economic and Social Committee’s ECO section has adopted an exploratory opinion calling for bold investments and financial reforms to close the EU’s competitiveness gap and make the Capital Markets Union (CMU) a reality. In the context of mounting geopolitical tensions and pressing investment needs for the green and digital transitions, the EESC highlights the urgency of bridging Europe’s investment shortfall. This opinion covers EU economic governance, in particular the design of the next Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and future fiscal rules.

Key points

In the opinion, ECO calls for

• establishing an EU investment fund for competitiveness and resilience and revising fiscal rules to prioritise growth-oriented public investment.
• expanding InvestEU and supporting long-term strategic projects, with stronger safeguards for performance and sustainability.
• completing the Capital Markets Union through enhanced supervisory powers for EU financial authorities and a phased move towards greater integration.

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Additional information

EESC section: Economic and Monetary Union and Economic and Social Cohesion (ECO)

Opinion type: Exploratory opinion

Rapporteur: Dominika BIEGON (Workers – GR II, Germany), Antonio GARCÍA DEL RIEGO (Employers – GR I, Spain), Giuseppe GUERINI (Diversity Europe – GR III, Italy)

Reference: ECO/665-EESC-2025

Date of adoption by section: 15/4/2025

Date of adoption in plenary: 29-30/4/2025

Contact

Thomas Kersten

Press Officer

Tel.: +32 (0) 2 546 8931

Email : thomas.kersten@eesc.europa.eu

Sergio Lorencio Matallana

Policy Officer

Tel. : +32 (0) 25469240

Email: eco@eesc.europa.eu