EU Leaders Clash Over Economic Competition Strategy at Informal Summit
The Spin
Narrative A
Europe must pursue ambitious free trade agreements with partners worldwide to maintain openness and competitiveness. Strategic autonomy means influence, not isolation, and buying European should only happen where possible without sacrificing industries dependent on external resources. The India trade deal demonstrates the right approach whereby open markets remain core to the European model while maintaining pragmatic realism.
Narrative B
Europe faces record trade deficits and unfair global competition demanding a "Made in Europe" preference in strategic sectors. When European public money gets spent, it must support European production and quality jobs on European soil. Economic independence requires eliminating dependencies that become weapons of coercion by stepping up domestic production in critical value chains.
