Enrico Letta, the EU Commission President-designate and former Italian prime minister, warned Tuesday that Europe must unite or risk becoming a colony of the U.S. and China [1, 2].
This warning highlights the growing economic pressure on the European Union as it struggles to maintain industrial and technological sovereignty against two global superpowers. Without a cohesive strategy, Letta said the bloc may lose its ability to set its own standards and protect its economic interests.
To combat this trend, Letta outlined a nascent strategy he referred to as "EU inc" [1, 2]. The core of this proposal is the immediate completion of the single market, which would remove remaining barriers to trade, and investment across member states. By integrating more deeply, Letta said the bloc can create a more formidable economic entity capable of competing on a global scale.
Letta said that the current lack of unity leaves the region vulnerable to external influence. He said that the completion of the single market is not merely a bureaucratic goal but a necessity for survival in a competitive global landscape [1, 2].
"Europe must unite or risk becoming a ‘colony’ of the US and China," Letta said [1].
The "EU inc" approach seeks to streamline regulation and enhance the collective bargaining power of the member states. This strategy aims to ensure that European companies can scale more effectively to match the size and reach of American and Chinese firms [1, 2].
“"Europe must unite or risk becoming a ‘colony’ of the US and China."”
The proposal for an 'EU inc' reflects a shift toward economic nationalism on a continental scale. By framing the alternative as 'colonization,' Letta is attempting to create a sense of urgency among member states to surrender individual regulatory autonomy in exchange for collective geopolitical leverage against the U.S. and China.
