Brussels, September 11, 2025 – The European Commission (EC) is taking stock of progress on the landmark Draghi Report one year after its publication, with President Ursula von der Leyen and former Italian Prime Minister Professor Mario Draghi opening a high-level conference on September 16, Tuesday. The keynote speeches from the conference will be broadcast live on EBS.
Since the release of the report in September 2024, the EC has launched multiple flagship initiatives to close Europe’s innovation gap. These include the creation of AI gigafactories, a new European quantum strategy, and a start-up and scale-up strategy. The “Choose Europe” campaign has been rolled out to attract world-class scientists, researchers, and skilled professionals.
Improving capital flows has been another priority. Work has advanced on the Savings and Investment Union, designed to channel more household savings into productive investments. On the regulatory front, businesses are seeing relief from red tape through six ‘omnibus’ simplification packages and the adoption of a new Single Market Strategy aimed at removing barriers to cross-border activity.
The authority is also working to align industrial competitiveness with decarbonisation goals. The Clean Industrial Deal outlines pathways for green growth, supported by an updated State Aid framework and sector-specific plans for cars, steel, metals, and chemicals. New 2040 climate targets aim to provide predictability for investors while maintaining momentum toward net zero.
The EU’s economic resilience strategy has expanded to include defence, with the €150 billion SAFE initiative to boost investment in security and defence industries. On the trade front, the bloc has moved to diversify global partnerships, presenting agreements with Mercosur and Mexico while advancing negotiations with India and Indonesia.
The upcoming conference comes on the heels of President von der Leyen’s 2025 State of the Union address, which mapped out the next phase of reforms. Plans include:
- Major investments in digital and clean technologies
- New measures to cut business costs and complete the Savings and Investment Union
- A Single Market Roadmap to 2028, covering capital, services, energy, telecoms, and a new “28th regime”
- The introduction of a fifth freedom for the free movement of knowledge and innovation
- Fresh initiatives in AI, quantum, batteries, and clean technologies to reinforce Europe’s technological leadership and strategic autonomy.
Source: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/mex_25_2076
