The Danish political party “Moderates” (Moderaterne) has proposed a new growth pact for EU businesses in order to enhance their competitiveness compared to the US and China. The party has presented a new initiative, containing ten concrete proposals, collectively referred to as a “growth pact.” A key element of this pact is the establishment of a competitiveness fund, to be financed by EU member countries, providing support to European businesses. Moderates emphasize the necessity of state aid as part of the solution to compete globally. “State aid must be considered for the EU as a united front,” the party states in their proposal. They point out that the US and China have gained an advantage, partly due to the substantial state aid provided to green businesses in the US. Therefore, they believe that the EU must find an appropriate response to keep up. Moderates argue in their analysis that competing internally among EU countries on state aid is futile. The goal is for the EU as a whole to become richer, so it is less important whether a factory is built in Hamburg or Kalundborg, but rather crucial that it is built in Europe instead of the US.
With this initiative, Moderates hope to spark a debate on how the EU can best strengthen its competitiveness on the global stage, and they urge action to ensure the future growth and success of European businesses.