A coalition of European tech CEOs, including ASML’s Christophe Fouquet, has issued a wake-up call to policymakers, warning that fragmented markets and regulatory overload are undermining the continent’s innovation capacity. In an op-ed published today across multiple newspapers, the executives argue that companies operating in Europe face a patchwork of rules that “make it incredibly hard to keep pace with the speed of technological progress.” Meanwhile, European firms also face “subsidized rivals with very strong market penetration.”
“Europe is losing global competitiveness each and every day. We’re facing a crisis largely of our own making – and therefore one we’re able to overcome. This isn’t just an economic concern; it threatens our social cohesion and tests the very foundation of our future prosperity and technological sovereignty. In a period of unprecedented geopolitical and technological change, the decisions made in the coming months and years will determine whether Europe can compete and thrive in the decades ahead,” the CEOs write.
As a remedy, the group urges the European Commission and national governments to streamline regulation, deepen the single market and accelerate decision-making. They advocate for clearer, more consistent rules that enable cross-border growth and reduce administrative friction. In parallel, they call for targeted investment frameworks that strengthen Europe’s capacity in critical technologies. “True wealth and resilience are built on creating and controlling intellectual property, rather than merely consuming it.”
