During their European Council meeting on 27-28 June 2024, the EU’s 27 heads of state and government will adopt the Union’s Strategic Agenda for 2024-2029. It will be the third time they do so, after 2014 and 2019. But the stakes are higher this year. In the context of polytransitions (such as green, digital, and demographic), the EU faces a full-scale war in Ukraine and the threat of Russian imperialism, the global contestation of the rules-based international order, a growing loss of competitiveness compared to the US and China, and a possible election of Donald Trump in the US.
These fundamental issues, in an era of perpetual crises, necessitate a truly strategic agenda for the EU. To this end, it should set clear objectives instead of general priorities, and provide the necessary funding and coordination in the long run to achieve them. Strong political will and a change in the preparatory work and structure of the Strategic Agenda are also required.
This Policy Brief provides recommendations that the 2024-2029 Strategic Agenda should follow:
- Set objectives, not priorities.
- Commit to whatever it takes.
- Link the Agenda to the next Multiannual Financial Framework.
- Organise follow-up on implementation and adaptation.
- Clarify the relationship between European Council and Commission.
- Focus on challenges and options, rather than issues.
Read the full paper here.