Macron calls for EU economic revolution ahead of competitiveness summit

French President Emmanuel Macron has warned that the European Union faces a geopolitical and geoeconomic emergency requiring urgent action to boost competitiveness. In interviews with The Economist, the Financial Times, and other European outlets, Macron emphasized that the bloc risks being marginalized by U.S. technological dominance and Chinese industrial pressure. He proposed an economic revolution based on four key pillars, including the radical simplification of EU regulations and a reduction in strategic dependency on non-European suppliers. The French leader also called for strengthening the international role of the euro to mitigate external shocks. These statements precede an EU summit scheduled for February 12, where competitiveness will be the central theme. Despite shared concerns, several member states including Germany, Italy, and Belgium held an informal pre-summit to discuss these issues. Macron described the current situation as a Greenland moment, characterizing the trade environment as a Chinese tsunami and citing permanent instability from the United States. He urged European leaders not to be lulled into a false sense of security regarding trade relations.