ContextEvening speech by the Bundesbank President to the Society of Professional Economists in the United Kingdom.
Why it mattersThe Bundesbank President, speaking in London, argues that Europe's old growth drivers are fading and calls for closer EU-UK cooperation in a fragmenting world.
- Geoeconomic fragmentation is reshaping the world economy.
- The forces that supported European growth are weakening.
- The EU and the UK face similar pressures.
- Acknowledge the new geoeconomic realities.
- Deepen EU-UK cooperation and regulatory alignment where useful.
- Mobilise Europe's energy to strengthen its economy.
Read the speech summary
1. Britain and the EU, closer again
At the annual dinner of a British society of economists in London, the Bundesbank President noted that, ten years after the referendum, the United Kingdom has drifted less from EU rules than many expected and now seeks closer ties, from youth mobility to defence. He explained this rapprochement by a shared exposure to geoeconomic fragmentation, which the IMF describes as a deliberate unwinding of integration for strategic reasons.
2. The new geoeconomic landscape
The rivalry between Washington and Beijing now defines the world economy, and each side uses chokepoints. China dominates rare earths and produces around 30% of world manufacturing, threatening Europe's mid-technology industry. The United States controls most global financial services, leads in technology and anchors NATO, and it now uses tariffs as leverage. Bundesbank work shows tariffs hurt trade and the US economy itself, although the AI investment boom kept world trade strong last year. Trade restrictions reached record numbers in 2023-25 and trade policy uncertainty in this decade is about five times the level of the 2000s. German exporters were squeezed by both US tariffs and Chinese competition, France worries about Chinese export pressure and British analysts see these forces aggravating domestic weaknesses.
3. Europe's assets
He answered his own question with confidence: Europe can cope. Britain brings world-class finance and professional services, advanced manufacturing and an educated workforce; the EU brings the largest trading bloc and network of trade deals, strong industry and a market of 27 countries and 450 million consumers. The friendship treaty signed between Britain and Germany last year expresses the shared values on which both can build.
4. Competitiveness and digital money
The EU still has to exploit its single market fully. The savings and investments union aims to channel European savings into European investment, with further plans to close the funding gap for growing start-ups and to let a new company be created online in two days for at most €100. In payments, a digital euro would bring central bank money into the digital era and reduce reliance on non-European card schemes; legislation is expected by the end of 2026 and a launch in 2029. A wholesale settlement service linking tokenised markets to the Eurosystem's payment platforms began operating the day before the speech.
5. Artificial intelligence and security
AI promises large efficiency gains, already visible in early uses including at central banks, but frontier models also raise cyber risks for financial stability, as the Financial Stability Board has warned. Britain and the EU cooperate on these issues through regular dialogues. He concluded that, by combining their strengths and common values, both will absorb the shock and become more resilient.