The one-year anniversary of the Global Gateway (GG) Strategy, launched in 2021, is an occasion for an initial interim assessment: With the €300 billion connectivity initiative, the European Commission aims to build sustainable and value-based economic partnerships between the EU and partner countries. It is also a response to competing infrastructure initiatives, above all the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative.
On a positive note, the close cooperation in the framework of the “Team Europe” approach, the strategic orientation and the setting of common goals has already created a "spirit of stronger cooperation" among the various implementing partners such as Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) or the European Investment Bank (EIB). The focus on generating private funds for investment projects is also promising, as is the possibility of scaling the goals of the European Green Deal on a global scale.
At the same time, however, there is a risk of raising expectations too high. It must be ensured that the GG is not just a new "branding" but actually triggers sustainable innovations in the cooperation between the EU and partner countries. Especially the constant system competition of the GG with other infrastructure programs is a major challenge and requires that the advantages of the value-based European approach are continuously demonstrated.
Katja Kammerer, Head of Department, Director Commissioning Parties, Department Client Liaison and Business Development at the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Jule Könneke, Policy Advisor for Climate Diplomacy, Geopolitics and Security at E3G, Dr Eefje Schmid, Head of Policy & Impact Unit, Strategy & Partnership Directorate at the European Investment Bank and Dr Jörg Wojahn, Representative of the European Commission in Germany shared their assessments of the GG at the IEP-EIB Lunch Debate " One Year Global Gateway Strategy: Added Value and Challenges".
The IEP organized the event, which was moderated by Dr Funda Tekin, in cooperation with the European Investment Bank. The event took place at the European House of the Representation of the European Commission in Germany and the Liaison Office of the European Parliament in Germany.
In cooperation with:
Team & authors
Share publication
