Europe’s industrial priorities for 2024 -2029: seizing tech leadership to avoid a business exodus

Executive summary

Europe is at the forefront of advanced manufacturing, a position we must zealously protect if we are to make our continent more resilient and climate neutral. More than anything else, this leadership will hinge on our ability to integrate digital technologies to capture, harmonise and analyse data. Setting the right industrial priorities for the EU 2024-2029 mandate is crucial to preserve our competitive edge.

These must address two main goals: transforming Europe into a globally attractive advanced manufacturing hub and establishing it as a computing innovation leader. There is no room for delay amid escalating risks of business exodus. 20% of all French unicorns have relocated their headquarters to the US just last year.

Europe must now send the right signal to investors, start-ups, and established manufacturers that it remains a dynamic region fully committed to digital-driven supply chain resilience and climate neutrality. Below, we lay out actionable recommendations to guide the industrial policy mandate of the next set of EU 2024 – 2029 leaders.

To view our full 2024 Manifesto recommendations, please refer to our ’Europe 2030: A Digital Powerhouse. DIGITALEUROPE’s manifesto for the next Commission’.