At a summit held in a medieval Belgian castle, European Union leaders agreed to advance a “Buy European” policy designed to safeguard strategic industrial sectors. The meeting focused on restoring Europe’s economic competitiveness against American and Chinese rivals in an increasingly unstable global economy.
French President Emmanuel Macron and German opposition leader Friedrich Merz arrived jointly at the 16th-century venue, signaling unity on the urgency of European action. Macron advocated for European preference in strategic sectors including clean technologies, chemicals, steel, automotive, and defense, describing it as a defensive measure against unfair international competition that disregards World Trade Organization rules.
However, Merz proposed a broader “Made with Europe” approach that would include trading partners rather than narrowly focusing on “Made in Europe” standards. He emphasized deregulation and trade agreements as complementary strategies. Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin cautioned about maintaining the EU’s commitment to open and free trade principles.
The summit agenda extended beyond procurement policies to encompass regulatory reduction, capital market fragmentation that constrains green and digital investment, and barriers within the European single market. Von der Leyen criticized excessive national regulations, citing the example of trucks allowed to weigh 44 tonnes in Belgium but only 40 tonnes when crossing into France.
Former Italian Prime Ministers Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta presented agenda-setting reports emphasizing Europe’s precarious position. Draghi declared the current economic world order “dead” and warned that Europe risks becoming “subordinated, divided and deindustrialised” unless it transitions from confederation to federation, reducing individual member state veto power on key policies.