- September 17, 2026
- ; 18:00
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- September 17, 2026
- ; 19:00
Europe’s competitiveness has moved to the center of the EU policy debate. Nearly two years after the publication of the Letta and Draghi reports, questions around technological sovereignty, strategic investment, innovation-friendly regulation, and Europe’s ability to compete with the United States and China remain pressing. At the same time, geopolitical tensions have underscored the importance of resilient digital infrastructure and a stronger, more integrated European Single Market.
Against this backdrop, Telefónica Deutschland and BASECAMP, with the support of the Aspen Institute Germany, hosted the BASECAMP Debate “Much More than Digital Infrastructure” on September 17, 2026. Prof. Enrico Letta, President of the Jacques Delors Institute and former Prime Minister of Italy, and Santiago Argelich Hesse, CEO of Telefónica Deutschland, joined Dr. Stormy-Annika Mildner, Executive Director of the Aspen Institute Germany, for a discussion on Europe’s economic and technological future.
Rather than focusing solely on Europe’s shortcomings, the discussion began by recognizing what the EU has already achieved. The Single Market connecting 27 member states represents a significant economic and political accomplishment. However, persistent fragmentation – particularly in telecommunications, capital markets, energy, and digital infrastructure – continues to limit Europe’s ability to achieve greater scale, mobilize investment, and translate innovation into economic strength.
The speakers also highlighted signs of progress. Prof. Letta pointed to Europe’s increasingly active trade agenda and argued that recent agreements are already delivering benefits. At the same time, the discussion explored how Europe can build on the momentum created by the Letta and Draghi reports and strengthen its capacity to act in an increasingly competitive geopolitical environment.
A key takeaway was that Europe already possesses significant economic, technological and political strengths on which it can build. Fully realizing this potential will require further integration of the Single Market, the reduction of persistent fragmentation, and more effective implementation of existing initiatives. Strengthening Europe’s competitiveness will therefore depend not only on developing new strategies, but also on translating existing ambitions into concrete action.
