Just before the main meeting, there will be an unofficial meeting, initiated by German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
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In this smaller group, which will also be attended by Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, the Italian-German action plan will be discussed..
The document, adopted in January, assumes, among others, legislative restraint to limit the burden on small and medium-sized enterprises. One of the key elements of the plan is the proposal to introduce an emergency brake mechanism to prevent excessive regulation.
Energy and investment at the center of the debate
The day before the summit, the annual European industry forum was held in Antwerp, during which French President Emmanuel Macron proposed the creation of a single energy market. In his opinion, such a mechanism could guarantee predictable prices for the industry.
The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, supported this initiative, emphasizing that completing the Energy Union is crucial to reducing costs. She drew attention to the lack of appropriate transmission infrastructure and dependence on the import of fossil fuels.
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According to von der Leyen, high taxes in some Member States are also a problem, which further increases energy prices.
Warnings and recommendations of former Italian prime ministers
They will join EU leaders on Thursday former Italian Prime Ministers Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, who prepared reports on the state of the EU economy. Draghi already in September 2024 warned of the “slow agony” of the European economypointing to high energy costs and the growing investment gap between the EU and the United States.
His report included, among others: recommendations for massive investment financed by common EU debt and loosening competition rules to allow the creation of large pan-European companies.
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However, according to the European Policy Innovation Council, only 15% has been implemented so far. these recommendations.
