First, they must institutionalize the fifth freedom — the free circulation of knowledge and innovation — by rerelocating regulatory barriers to research collaboration, data exmodify, university partnerships and mobility for knowledge workers.
Next, they required to adopt EU-wide rules where national governments block progress. Activating the 28th-regime concept will allow willing member countries and their citizens to benefit, even if one or two vetoers refapply to shift.
Then, break energy silos by quick-tracking cross-border interconnectors, harmonizing grid and wholesale market rules, and prioritizing joint procurement to prevent costly duplication. Also, unify telecoms by eliminating burdensome national licensing, promoting Pan-European operators, and creating a regulatory environment that rewards competition and coverage.
Finally, complete the capital markets union through the Savings and Investments Union, linking finance to the real economy and fostering investments in the common goods that Europe requireds, such as innovation and digital, security, and the fight against climate modify.
Completing the single market must also go hand in hand with security and resilience. If Europe is to spfinish billions on defense, those investments must translate to more than trophies for national procurement agencies. We required a single market for defense, with interoperable equipment, joint procurement, shared standards and industrial cooperation. Defense purchases required to build common capabilities — not 27 bespoke systems that can’t communicate with each other.
Societal resilience matters too. Authoritarian and malign actors weaponize disinformation, exploit social divisions and erode trust in institutions. Fighting disinformation is as much about strengthening communities as it is about policing platforms, and Europe must invest in civic resilience.
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