BusinessEurope launched its 2025 Reform Barometer: EU in a new political cycle: Competitiveness as a true priority in a complex global context
BusinessEurope launched its 2025 Reform Barometer: EU in a new political cycle: Competitiveness as a true priority in a complex global context.
Key findings of our 2025 Reform Barometer include:
- European businesses entered the second mandate of President Ursula von der Leyen’s European Commission having high expectations for European Commission’s overall shift in policy direction regarding competitiveness and growth, and that first positive steps must be built upon and followed by swift and concrete actions to deliver a real change. Time is of the essence, and companies operating in Europe urgently need to see tangible improvements in their business environment.
- However, concerns are mounting over the EU’s waning appeal as an investment destination. More than half of respondents reported a deteriorating investment climate, undermining the EU’s competitiveness on the global stage. The regulatory environment remains the primary obstacle to investment, followed by high energy costs and shortages of skilled labour. The deregulation efforts under the new U.S. administration are expected to intensify these challenges, with over 85% of respondents anticipating a negative impact on EU investments.
- Additionally, European businesses have voiced significant dissatisfaction with the execution of the Recovery and Resilience Plans (RRPs), with only 10% expressing satisfaction. Key barriers include slow decision-making, excessive bureaucracy, and insufficient private sector involvement.
As in previous years, the report also provides a macro-analysis of the EU’s competitiveness compared to other macro-regions. This year, it also includes an in-depth examination of the EU-US trade relationship, its associated risks, and an investigation of the productivity trends of a subset of firms across various Member States, size categories, and in different manufacturing sectors.
You can access BusinessEurope’s 2025 Reform Barometer at the following link: