Long term strategic priorities for the European Union
The European Commission has published its second annual "Strategic Perspectives Report", which provides a multidisciplinary view on the most relevant future trends that will affect the EU's capacity and freedom to act in the coming decades, including: climate change and other environmental challenges, digital hyperconnectivity and technological transformations, pressure on democracy and values, as well as shifts in the global order and demography. It sheds light on possible policy responses for the EU’s open strategic autonomy, identifying 10 strategic areas to strengthen the EU’s global leadership and to boost the EU´s open strategic autonomy by 2050 aiming to ensure the EU’s freedom and capacity to act.
Regarding the strategic area number six “Building a resilience and future-proof economics and financial systems”, the report specifically highlights the following themes relevant for the financial sector:
- Capital Markets Union and Banking Union: The EU should remove the remaining obstacles to market integration and to fully implement the CMU and the BU, which are essential to diversify and deepen sources of funding for EU companies, improve saving opportunities for EU citizens, strengthen the EU’s ability to absorb shocks and support stronger domestic financial markets.
- The key role of EU financial system in financing the transition to a climate-neutral economy and resilience against environmental degradation. The EU will need EUR 470 billion in additional investment per year to reach its 2030 climate and environmental targets. The report mentions that this transition must be fair and accompanied by stronger economic and social convergence.
- Profound shifts in the digital age: A growing role of crypto-assets and the development of digital currencies (Euro digital) and EU-wide solutions for instant payments can create new opportunities for citizens and businesses, but consumer protection needs to be ensured and a proper regulatory and supervisory framework needs to be implemented.
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According to IE University’s Center for the Governance of Change, deeper and more integrated financial markets would strengthen the euro’s global role. This requires, among other elements, resilient and interoperable payment systems and completing the banking union.
Partnerships between banks and private credit: The winners will be those that combine bank underwriting discipline, distribution, and customer access with private capital’s appetite for long-dated, illiquid risk, according to Oliver Wyman.
Lucrezia Reichlin (CEPR): A CBDC is not a prerequisite for monetary sovereignty. Confusing money with payments can risk misdiagnosing the problem and misaligning economic policy efforts.
According to the World Economic Forum´s Global Risk Report 2026, geoeconomic confrontation, mis- and disinformation and societal polarization make up the top three short-term risks, while environmental risks dominate in the long term.
According to the World Economic Forum, over the last few years AI has moved from experimentation to workflow integration, promising systemic gains in productivity while also raising critical questions around economic inclusion, values, trust and resilience.
According to AFME, a clearer, more coherent, and proportionate regulatory environment, without unnecessary layers and focuses on growth and competitiveness, is keyl to increase investor confidence, unlock private capital and deepen European capital markets
According to the Center for the Governance of Change at IE University, Europeans support technological progress if it reinforces security, inclusion, and social welfare; but resist it when change feels imposed, opaque, or misaligned with their values.
According to a recent report released by CEPS, European financial regulators should adopt competitiveness as a formal secondary objective, following the precedent established by the UK's Financial Services and Markets Act 2023.
According to the OECD. SMEs and start-ups that grow rapidly contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and competitiveness. Indeed, SMEs that grow by one-third over a three-year period, contribute about as much to job creation as large firms.
According to @McKinsey, banks must prepare for a new growth curve. Strategic precision —the ability to combine technology, capital discipline, and deep customer insight— will distinguish the leaders from the laggards.
According to Kristalina Georgeva IMF Managing Director, lifting growth requires three things: one, regulatory housecleaning to unleash private enterprise; two, deeper regional integration; and three, preparedness to harness AI.
According to The European House – Ambrosetti, the European Union has an opportunity to boost competitiveness and growth by simplifying regulatory and supervisory frameworks, particularly in the areas of sustainability and the financial sector.