We are concerned by how much the EU is lagging behind its main international competitors in GDP growth, innovation and the development of new marketable technologies. Enhancing Europe's competitiveness must be one of the EU's main priorities during this mandate to ensure our continued prosperity. 

We are committed to revitalising the EU economy by deepening the Single Market, protecting Europe's businesses and industry from costly regulations and investing in SMEs and innovation. We believe in empowering Member States, cities and regions to take ownership of their future, enact policies that correspond to their local realities and thrive on their unique strengths. To minimise growth-hindering regulations, we are dedicated to truly implementing the principles of better regulation. 

We will advocate for the ‘think small first’ principle, as well as for ensuring that SME and competitiveness checks become the norm in EU policy-making. We call for future competitiveness initiatives, including the new Competitiveness Fund and the Single Market Strategy, to contribute to place-based growth in our regions and cities while respecting the subsidiarity principle.