Sustainable growth requires more investment, research and innovation. To accomplish this, sufficient public sector contribution is necessary. We need to be able to secure investment in public infrastructure, including digital infrastructure, not least in countries that are lagging behind in 5G, or even more regrettably, sometimes even in 4G.
A large and integrated single market is the cornerstone of the EU, but the member states also benefit from open global markets. At the same time, the transformation brought about by globalisation and the digital revolution has resulted in winners and losers. This, in turn, has helped to promote populist policies promising easy answers to difficult questions. Protectionism, however, is not an answer.