European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has urged the removal of obstacles hindering the growth of key sectors such as artificial intelligence start-ups and lithium processing, while also calling for stronger infrastructure and trade partnerships to boost the EU’s competitiveness.
Speaking in Brussels at a high-level conference marking one year since the Draghi Report, von der Leyen said Europe must act urgently to close the investment gap with the United States and China. The report estimated the EU needs an additional €800 billion annually, more than 4% of its GDP, to stay competitive.
Von der Leyen highlighted the need to strengthen the EU’s single market, noting that internal barriers currently equate to tariffs of 45% on goods and 110% on services. “An AI start-up from Portugal or Romania should be able to grow without problems across our continent, and currently this is often not the case,” she said.
She also pointed to the importance of securing critical raw materials, citing lithium processing in Portugal as an example of initiatives that need both financial support and timely licensing. On energy, she pledged further investment in interconnections, including the Bay of Biscay project, which will double capacity between France and Spain. She announced plans for a “network package” and an “energy motorways initiative” to address eight key bottlenecks in European energy infrastructure.
In terms of global partnerships, von der Leyen underscored the EU’s distinctive approach to resource projects, pointing to the Lobito corridor linking Angola’s copper belt as a strategic initiative. “Other powers are only interested in extraction, [but] we build local processing industries and value chains because that is how we strengthen our own security,” she said.
She also expressed determination to secure trade agreements, including with India by year-end, as well as advancing negotiations with South Africa, Malaysia, and the UAE.
Acknowledging the EU’s slow progress on Draghi’s recommendations — only 11.2% have been fully implemented — von der Leyen stressed the need for urgency. She also reiterated the importance of greater European independence in defence, while cautioning that such efforts “will not happen overnight.”
