Berlin, Germany. Ministers from six leading European economies will discuss on Wednesday plans to push ahead with joint projects without the rest of the EU, aiming to enable faster decision-making amid geopolitical upheaval. The talks are set to take place by video conference at 1400 GMT.
Video call among six economies
The conference will include finance and economy ministers from Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Italy and the Netherlands. It follows ridicule from officials in U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration over the time it takes the 27-country EU to make decisions.
Ad-hoc coalitions and renewed momentum
The idea of forging ad-hoc coalitions that allow some EU countries to pursue projects without agreement from all members has long appealed to some countries and has already been applied to key projects, including the euro currency. The approach is gaining momentum as Europe faces widening insecurity, sluggish growth and deep political divergences.
Klingbeil calls for a “Europe of two speeds”
“Now is the time for a Europe of two speeds,” German Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said on Tuesday in Berlin. Klingbeil wants the invited countries to set a concrete agenda to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty and competitiveness, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
“To survive in an increasingly unpredictable geopolitical situation, Europe must become stronger and more resilient,” Klingbeil wrote in the letter to his counterparts dated Monday, adding that continuing as before could not be an option.
Next steps and broader political context
The invitation described the call as a “kick-off” and said a follow-up in-person meeting should take place on the margins of the next Eurogroup. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has shown a growing willingness to press ahead in Europe without unanimity, including on the Mercosur trade deal or Ukraine.
France has for years pushed to move ahead in smaller groups on policies ranging from steel import safeguards to nuclear energy that remain blocked at the broader EU level, and several of those invited to the call have agreed with the approach.
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