Autonomy in Action: Is Europe Prepared to Lead Without U.S. Involvement?
Autonomy in Action: Is Europe Prepared to Lead Without U.S. Involvement?
For European industry, the USA is considerably more than just a significant sales market. Companies are being particularly severely hit by Donald Trump’s shift in trade policies. Europe must now demonstrate strength and unity in all areas.
“This is Europe’s moment” – EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen drew this bold conclusion when she summed up the first 100 days of her second term of office. But Europe as a haven of strength and stability is not the image that many critics at home and abroad are currently painting of the “old” continent. And the USA, of all countries, and its president are currently throwing down one gauntlet after another to Europe. Does Europe still have a chance of playing a decisive role in the geopolitical dispute between the major powers USA, China and Russia, perhaps because they like to underestimate an “underdog”? “Europe is faced with the major task of first creating its own security architecture,” says VDMA President Bertram Kawlath in the new episode of the VDMA Industry Podcast: “Underdog Europe” – Escape to the future without the USA? “This new security architecture must be supported by politicians, but also by Europe’s citizens and its industry,” emphasizes Kawlath.
This also means that the EU must expand its internal market more strongly, particularly with regard to energy, a capital market union and new free trade agreements. European industry is strong enough to be able to manufacture anything in principle, emphasizes the VDMA President – and to do so with efficient production. “However, the EU urgently needs to loosen the shackles that have been placed on companies over the years of excessive regulation,” he adds. Then the EU could also be strong enough to withstand the attacks from outside.
The USA, the most important single market for German and European mechanical engineering, is particularly in focus. The strength of transatlantic trade links is shown in the VDMA’s online publication “Mechanical Engineering in Figures and Images”, in which the USA is now highlighted as a special topic. Bertram Kawlath is confident “that the USA and Europe will ultimately come to the realization that we are strongest together.” Tariffs, on the other hand, always harm end consumers and ultimately destroy prosperity.
“However, the EU urgently needs to loosen the shackles that have been placed on companies over the years of excessive regulation.”- Bertram Kawlath, VDMA-President
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