We are living in the most momentous and dangerous of times. I do not need to describe the grave nature of the threats that we face. Or the devastating consequences that we will have to endure if those threats would come to pass. Because the question is no longer whether Europe's security is threatened in a very real way. Or whether Europe should shoulder more of the responsibility for its own security. In truth, we have long known the...

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The Union of Skills will support the development of our Union's human capital to strengthen EU competitiveness. A key initiative of the first 100 days of this Commission, the Union of Skills will:   Deliver higher levels of basic skills, for example through the Basic Skills Support Scheme pilot; Provide lifelong opportunities for adults to regularly upskill and reskill, for example through a Skills Guarantee pilot; Facilitate recruitment by businesses across the EU, for example through a Skills Portability Initiative; Attract...

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Today, the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP) celebrates its first year in action for the development and manufacturing of critical technologies in Europe. Over the past year, STEP has pooled the investment firepower of 11 EU programmes, mobilising over €15 billion to support Europe's competitiveness in three strategic sectors: digital technologies and deep-tech innovation, clean and resource-efficient technologies, and biotechnologies. So far, €9.1 billion of EU funds have been mobilised towards STEP across five programmes managed by the Commission directly, namely the Digital Europe programme, the European...

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Smart policies that help people realize their potential can be game-changing for entire societies Every great leap in human progress—from the printing press to the steam engine to the semiconductor—has been driven by ideas. But ideas do not emerge in a vacuum; they come from people. And among them, it is often the most talented minds that push the boundaries of what is possible. This makes talent one of the world’s most valuable resources that can drive innovation and growth. Countries...

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Contribution to Bancaria by Piero Cipollone, Member of the Executive Board of the ECB, based on remarks at the Crypto Asset Lab Conference on 17 January 2025 Being a key player in digital payments and digital finance should be a priority for Europe. As Mario Draghi pointed out in his recent report, the productivity gap between the United States and the European Union is mostly explained by technology and finance. If we take the information and communications technology (ICT) and financial sectors...

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The European Commission has adopted a new package of proposals to simplify EU rules, boost competitiveness, and unlock additional investment capacity. This is a major step forward in creating a more favourable business environment to help EU companies grow, innovate, and create quality jobs. By bringing our competitiveness and climate goals together, we are creating the conditions for EU businesses to thrive, attract investment, achieve our shared goals – such as the European Green Deal objectives – and unlock our...

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Today, the Commission presents the Clean Industrial Deal, a bold business plan to support the competitiveness and resilience of our industry. The Deal will accelerate decarbonisation, while securing the future of manufacturing in Europe. Faced with high energy costs and fierce and often unfair global competition, our industries need urgent support. This Deal positions decarbonisation as a powerful driver of growth for European industries. This framework can drive competitiveness as it gives certainty and predictability to companies and investors that Europe...

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“Check against delivery” Bundespräsident Steinmeier, Ministerpräsident Söder, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, Like so many of you, I have been coming here for many years. From the times when it was an exclusively transatlantic audience to today, when we see political, business and thought leaders from right across the world. This is a testament not only to the great success of the Munich Security Conference. But it also reflects on how the rest of the world impacts our security and our transatlantic relationship. Our task here...

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To G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors, The outlook for the global economy is characterised by shifting financial conditions and geopolitical uncertainty. Against this backdrop, it is important that we remain attentive to global financial stability, which is indispensable for economic growth. Under the G20’s leadership, and working through our members, the FSB has developed extensive reforms in recent years to enhance resilience by addressing key financial system vulnerabilities. When fully implemented, the reforms will contribute to a financial...

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