ROME — Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has joined German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever in urging the European Union to slash bureaucracy and accelerate strategic investments ahead of the October 15–16 European Council summit.
Driving the news: The three leaders sent a joint letter to European Council President António Costa on Monday, following last week’s meeting of the informal “Friends of Competitiveness” group.
Why it matters: Italian government sources stressed that the letter places particular emphasis on the link between regulatory simplification, high energy costs and Europe’s industrial competitiveness, framing the three issues as closely interconnected challenges for the EU.
The big picture: The initiative reflects growing pressure from EU capitals to tackle regulatory burdens, high energy costs and declining industrial competitiveness.
What they want: The letter outlines three priorities:
- Fast-track investments in strategic sectors, particularly energy and digitalization.
- Put the brakes on new regulations that would impose additional administrative burdens on businesses.
- Cut EU reporting requirements across the board, with particular attention to small and medium-sized enterprises.
What’s next: The proposals could feed into discussions at this week’s European Council, where competitiveness is expected to remain a key priority.
