According to RT, reporting today (August 28), on August 27, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen admitted at a business forum in Paris that the EU has lost its key economic advantages.
Von der Leyen stated, "For a long time, the EU’s economic model relied on cheap energy imports from Russia, global free trade, access to the Chinese market, U.S. strategic protection, and Western technological leadership." She candidly acknowledged, "All these obvious advantages have now disappeared."
Von der Leyen pointed out, "The current situation demands that the EU re-examine its existing policies."
The remarks made by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at the Paris business forum represent a profound reflection on Europe's multiple ongoing crises. The loss of the "five major advantages" she listed precisely outlines the EU's awkward predicament—unable to return to the old world, yet unable to break into the new one. This statement is not only a warning signal sent to European business circles but also reflects the deep-seated difficulties the EU faces in seeking strategic breakthroughs.
Von der Leyen’s remarks reveal that the long-standing growth model upon which Europe relied has completely failed:
The end of cheap energy: The prolonged Ukraine-Russia conflict and escalating tensions in the Middle East have entirely disrupted Europe’s reliance on low-cost energy from Russia. Sky-high energy costs are now forcing a restructuring of Europe’s economic framework, severely undermining manufacturing profitability.
The fading benefits of global free trade: The rise of trade protectionism is eroding the advantages Europe once enjoyed in open trade.
Weakening of U.S. strategic protection: Undercurrents are running beneath transatlantic relations—America no longer unconditionally guarantees Europe’s security, compelling Europe to rely on "its own two legs" for survival.
Loss of Western technological supremacy: Europe missed the previous wave of digital revolution and is now being overwhelmed by American capital and talent in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence, facing the risk of marginalization.
Reversal of China market advantage: Europe’s trade deficit with China has sharply widened, and it remains heavily dependent on China for critical raw materials and supply chains; its former market and technological advantages are gradually diminishing.
Von der Leyen’s candid admission marks the official acknowledgment by the EU of the collapse of its old economic model. While the EU attempts to "rebuild competitiveness" through trade protectionism and industrial subsidies, it is constrained by deep internal interest divisions, high external restructuring costs, and geopolitical constraints. Thus, this pursuit of "strategic autonomy" is destined to be painful and fraught with difficulty.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874735331916810/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.