This white paper proposes ideas to accelerate Europe’s competitiveness and investment environment, with a sharp focus on impact, both at speed and at scale. It recommends a strategic choice for where to play and how to win; a list of private-sector lighthouse initiatives to kick-start momentum; and 10 public-sector “grands projets” to unleash European entrepreneurship, innovation and investment.
Despite Europe’s technological potential, its corporations underinvested by €700 billion annually compared to the United States between 2015 and 2022, especially in technology, while achieving lower returns on invested capital. Europe excels in only four of 14 critical global technologies, with potentially €2-4 trillion lost in GDP annually by 2040 – more than the combined current annual funding needed for Net Zero, defence and healthcare. The rising economic stakes of the Intelligent Age have made competitiveness, especially in technology, a top priority across Europe. By fostering collaboration between private and public sectors, the paper envisions a continent capable of achieving technological and economic leadership.