With the reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, alongside numerous other European initiatives, many concrete reform proposals are on the table. The focus is now on implementation: reducing economic dependencies by developing partnerships based on equal footing, completing the Capital Markets Union, advancing joint procurement in the defence sector and taking a bolder approach to new key technologies such as AI. The expert discussion focused on the Austrian perspective on the extensive agenda of proposals to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and defence capabilities.
Another key focus of the discussion was the future of the EU enlargement process. Discussed proposals included the Franco-German non-paper on the gradual integration of Western Balkan countries and the non-paper on sectoral integration into the Single Market, presented jointly by Austria, Czechia, Italy, Slovenia and Slovakia. The exchange also addressed how enlargement and institutional reforms could be connected.
Moreover, the discussion offered a change of perspective on the EU’s institutional complexity and decision-making processes. While lengthy procedures can slow down decision-making, they also strengthen the resilience of the EU system in times of political polarisation and growing Eurosceptic forces. Europe’s capacity to act depends on balancing flexibility and speed with democratic safeguards and institutional stability.
The discussion was moderated by IEP Director Funda Tekin. The Europe Talk took place at IEP on 14 September 2026, with the kind support of the Federal Foreign Office.
Team & authors
Share publication