The European Commission is expected soon to unveil proposals for how a “European preference” could operate to help boost the bloc’s production in strategic industries. Macron appeared increasingly isolated this week, with Germany knocking back his proposal for more joint EU debt to fund strategic investments, and Commission President Ursula von der Leyen warning of “a fine line to walk” on the concept of a “European preference.”
Even so, the crisis in transatlantic relations — inflamed by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose tariffs on allies in his quest to acquire Greenland — has made it more urgent for EU leaders to strengthen the bloc’s economic might, Kristersson said.
Macron has a point that Europe must be more “self-reliant,” Kristersson said, but trying to protect European supply chains and businesses from international competition will not necessarily help the competitiveness of the EU economy.
“I think European preference, if that means having [such] extremely good companies, products, services in Europe that they are unavoidable for the rest of the world, then I’m very much in favor of it,” Kristersson said. “If it means protecting European companies, for European purchase or European procurement, which makes them avoid competition from other parts of the world, I am not at all sure that’s a good idea.”
He called for European leaders to improve the conditions for companies to thrive: better infrastructure, education, research and new trade agreements with countries outside the bloc.
Kristersson gave the example of audio streaming platform Spotify, which is headquartered in Stockholm, as a rare European success in an otherwise sparse landscape for tech giants. Spotify, he said, is Europe’s “one big tech company” right now. “Otherwise most of the companies have turned to the U.S.”