Experts discuss the need for a new Europe in the face of the current global landscape

CUNEF Universidad’s School of Business, Economics and Law organised the session “Do we need a new Europe?”, bringing students and faculty together to analyse the main challenges facing the European Union in the current geopolitical landscape.

The event featured the participation of Raymond Torres, Director for International and Macroeconomic Analysis at Funcas and Member of the Spanish Productivity Council, Belén Becerril, Full Professor of Public International Law and International Relations at Universidad CEU San Pablo and Director of the journal Política Exterior, and Antonio Fonfría, Professor of Applied Economics at Universidad Complutense de Madrid and PhD in Economic and Business Sciences. 

The discussion, chaired by CUNEF Universidad professor Pedro Rodríguez, was structured around five key issues: strategic autonomy, Europe as a military power, European governance, competitiveness, and Spain’s role within the European framework.

Strategic autonomy

On the issue of strategic autonomy, Raymond Torres drew attention to Europe’s historical dependence on fossil fuels and defence, which are currently conditioned by geopolitics, mentioning, as an example, the new tariffs imposed on Europe by the Trump Administration. Belén Becerril quoted Angela Merkel’s “Europe must take its fate into its own hands” to define this concept. Antonio Fonfría added that Europe must decide today what it wants to be in twenty years’ time and make the necessary decisions to achieve it.

Another central issue was Europe’s role as a military power. Raymond Torres argued the need for stronger financing and capabilities, to tackle the defence industry’s current fragmentation. While Belén Becerril insisted on the importance of transnational coordination to enable us to move forward as one, Antonio Fonfría highlighted the difficulties faced by governments when it comes to relinquishing their strategic autonomy in this area.

With regard to European governance, the discussion focused on the principle of unanimity. The speakers agreed that it was better to move forward at different speeds in certain areas, such as defence, given the difficulty of reaching full consensus in a European Union of 27 Member States.

Improving competitiveness

Competitiveness was another of the key issues addressed. Raymond Torres recognised the influence of excessive regulation, but he stressed that the determining factor is financing, pointing out that Europe invests less than the United States and that a significant part of European savings is allocated outside the EU. Belén Becerril advocated for a shift from the Green Deal towards a model designed to drive competitiveness and growth, while Antonio Fonfría alluded to the Draghi and Letta reports, which point to Europe’s lack of technological leadership and competitiveness.

Finally, the experts analysed Spain’s role in today’s Europe. Raymond Torres highlighted the country’s opportunities for development and its strength in sectors such as renewable energies, as well as the combination of capital and immigration as levers to attract talent, although he pointed to business financing as a relevant obstacle. Belén Becerril cited the Recovery Plan as an example of alignment between Spanish and European interests, and Antonio Fonfría warned that Spain risks losing influence in the European arena and in NATO.

The session concluded with a round of questions from students, which broadened the scope of the discussion and allowed for a more in-depth analysis of certain topics.