Europe is striving to regain its place as a global leader in innovation and industry. To do that, it must be a stable and predictable place for industry.
The world is entering a new era of growing instability. Geopolitical tensions, supply chain fragmentation, inflation, and rising trade barriers are reshaping global economic dynamics. This climate of unpredictability poses a serious threat to industry, undermining innovation, deterring investment, and forcing businesses to make long-term decisions in short-term contexts. Yet within this turbulence lies a strategic opportunity, one the EU has recognized and begun to act on, signaling its intent to become a stable, competitive hub for business. The real test now is follow-through: turning ambition into coordinated, sustained action.
Driving Prosperity and Enabling Enterprise
This EU mandate has made it clear that, at least in the business-space, competitiveness is at the heart of the agenda. The focus has further been solidified by the publication of the Competitiveness Compass, meant to foster a more business-conducive environment. This renewed focus is both welcome and necessary, especially in these unstable times. In order to thrive, innovate and make long-term investments, industry needs less red tape, less bureaucracy and instead, more stability, predictability and a coherent and consistent regulatory framework aligned with the EU’s own competitiveness goals.
Stress-testing of existing legislation, work towards a startup and scaleup strategy, as well as proper impact assessment and regulatory scrutiny board follow-throughs are all helpful in creating a more competitive and resilient Europe. Ursula von der Leyen’s declaration during the World Economic Forum in January of 2025 of the creation of a European Savings and Investments Union, as well as the 28th regime are further examples of how seriously the EU is taking the need for change at the European level to ensure a proper single market and remove barriers for industry.
Aligning Ambition with Action
The European Commission has sent a strong signal that it must make Europe an attractive place to do business. But unless this ambition is followed by concrete action, pulling in the same direction from regulators, agencies and institutions, progress will stall, or worse backtrack. Policymakers must ensure that regulatory action is aligned with the political direction to not undermine competitiveness efforts.
A high degree of coherence can be challenging across the large and complex EU institutional landscape. But as Europe is doubling down on its competitiveness agenda, it’s essential for all parts of the system, from the political, to implementing services, to work in concert. European capital markets, for example, remain fragmented, and on the legislative front, there is more legislation down the line (e.g. the Green Claims Directive or the Digital Fairness Act). Competitiveness should not be a separate objective in and of itself, but instead a lens, through which all decisions should be evaluated.
Empowering Entrepreneurs
The current geopolitical climate has provided Europe with the necessary political momentum and opportunity to strive to regain its place as a global leader in innovation and industry. To do that, Europe must be a stable and predictable place for industry. Success will require a sustained effort to align all levels of governance behind an agenda for growth and investment, and part of that must be dialogue and cooperation with business, as well as an increased focus on implementation and evidence-based regulation.
Herbalife is uniquely positioned to support this vision. As a global health and wellness company operating through a network of independent distributors - who are small business owners and entrepreneurs - Herbalife contributes directly to local economies across the EU. These individuals represent the kind of agile, community-rooted economic actors that the EU’s competitiveness strategy aims to empower.
To fully unlock this potential, policymakers must ensure that regulation is not only smart and proportionate but also aligned with the realities of those driving grassroots economic activity. This includes reducing administrative burdens, applying flexibility where appropriate, and fostering structured dialogue between regulators and the business community.
We commend the European Commission’s renewed focus on competitiveness and urge continued alignment between political ambition and regulatory practice. Companies like Herbalife and the thousands of entrepreneurs they support can be vital partners in building a more competitive, resilient, and inclusive European economy.
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