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Launch of the Rhine Group for EU competitiveness

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2026-08-27 13:25 UTC → 2026-08-31 06:12 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Mario Draghi and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison have launched the Rhine Group, a pro-European think tank intended to address the declining economic competitiveness of the European Union. The group aims to implement policy reforms based on Draghi’s 2024 report, focusing on closing the technological gap in sectors such as artificial intelligence to ensure Europe can fund essential functions like defense, healthcare, and climate investments. While the group comprises approximately 55 influential figures from business, academia, and politics, it has faced criticism regarding its regional representation. Observers noted a significant lack of involvement from Central and Eastern European member states, with only former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves representing the region. Critics from countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia have characterized this as a failure of ~~inclusivity, suggesting a potential disconnect between Western European leadership and newer EU member states.~~ inclusivity. Recent ~~details confirm~~ developments clarify the ~~group includes notable members such as former Vodafone CEO Vittorio Colao, telecoms mogul Xavier Niel,~~ group’s operational structure and ~~executive director Luis Garicano,~~ specific objectives. Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Rhine Group operates through a ~~former MEP. The initiative emphasizes that only four~~ trust service. This choice of location has drawn scrutiny from critics who question the ~~world’s fifty largest technology companies are European, warning~~ organization’s transparency and the appropriateness of using a ~~widening gap~~ Swiss-based trust for an initiative dedicated to European interests. The group intends to move beyond theoretical frameworks to provide concrete recommendations to national and European policymakers. Its mission focuses on addressing Europe’s perceived lag in ~~digital infrastructure.~~ major technological revolutions, including AI, robotics, and biotechnology, which members suggest could lead to long-term economic decline and a loss of independence. The Rhine Group’s first meeting is scheduled for late September 2026.

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