Politics · Italy · 2 hrs ago
Meloni, Merz and De Wever urge faster investment in energy
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever sent a letter to European Council President António Costa.
They want the EU to give priority to investment in energy and digital technology.
The letter comes ahead of a European Council meeting on October 15 and 16.
It follows a meeting last week of an informal group focused on competitiveness.
The leaders say high energy costs and industrial competitiveness are linked to the need for simpler rules.
They also call for a brake on new bureaucratic burdens and fewer EU reporting requirements, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
The proposals are for EU leaders to examine at the upcoming meeting.
Giorgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz and Bart De Wever urged European Council President António Costa to fast-track investment in energy and other priority sectors.
In a letter ahead of the European Council meeting on 15 and 16 October, they also called for limits on new bureaucratic burdens.
The leaders proposed a general reduction in EU reporting requirements, especially for small and medium-sized businesses.
The initiative followed a meeting of the informal Friends of Competitiveness group the previous week.
- Who
- Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever wrote to European Council President António Costa.
- What
- They urged a fast track for investment in energy and digitalisation, limits on new bureaucratic burdens, and fewer EU reporting requirements.
- When
- The letter was sent on 12 October 2026, ahead of the European Council meeting on 15 and 16 October.
- Where
- Not stated.
- Why
- The letter linked simplification and high energy costs with industrial competitiveness.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
On energy, structural and long-term responses are needed
The informal Friends of Competitiveness group met.
Meloni, Merz and De Wever sent a letter to António Costa.
The European Council meeting was scheduled to take place.
- Letter recipients
- António Costa, president of the European Council
- Signatories
- Giorgia Meloni, Friedrich Merz and Bart De Wever
- Priority investment sectors
- Energy and digitalisation
- Proposed reporting change
- General reduction in EU reporting requirements, especially for small and medium-sized businesses
- European Council meeting
- 15 and 16 October 2026
Sources
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