In the ornate rooms of Belgium’s Alden Biesen Castle and the grand conference halls of the Munich Security Conference, a familiar refrain rippled through the discussions of European leaders: Europe must move faster to reform and compete. Like a river finding new channels when its old course runs sluggish, the European project is being urged to adjust how it works — even if that means some parts of the Union flow ahead more quickly than others.
At the center of this conversation is Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, who has been advocating for what some are calling a “two-speed” Europe to press ahead with economic reforms. Her message reflects a growing reality in the European Union: unanimity among all 27 member states — once a hallmark of unity — can sometimes stall progress on urgent issues like competitiveness, regulatory simplification and deepening the single market.
During recent informal retreats and summits, von der Leyen and other leaders have discussed using existing mechanisms in EU treaties to allow “enhanced cooperation.” This provision would enable at least nine member states that are ready to move faster on specific reforms — such as capital market integration or regulatory streamlining — to do so without waiting for unanimous agreement from all members. Such a step signals a flexible, pragmatic approach to longstanding gridlock.
“We want to be done with phase one of the Savings and Investment Union by June,” von der Leyen said, noting that a more integrated financial market could help unleash capital and strengthen Europe’s competitiveness on the global stage — particularly against the economic muscle of markets like the United States and China.
French President Emmanuel Macron has been one of the more vocal proponents of this approach, setting a summer deadline for concrete economic reforms and emphasizing the need for bold policies to jump-start growth. At the same time, not all capitals are fully aligned: some leaders warn that moving in multiple speeds risks fragmenting the Union’s cohesion and creating two classes of membership.
The push for a dynamic strategy reflects more than impatience with slow decision-making. Europe’s leaders are keenly aware of the economic pressure they face from global competitors, including technological innovation, industrial competition and the geopolitical shifts reshaping supply chains. In this context, the “two-speed” language has emerged less as a division and more as a pragmatic acknowledgement: when consensus falters, a coalition of willing states might preserve momentum.
Yet the idea carries nuance. Enhanced cooperation is not automatic dissolution of unity; it is a legal pathway embedded in EU treaties that allows forward motion while keeping the door open for others to join later. The real test will be whether such an approach accelerates reform without creating lasting divides — and whether the economy itself responds with greater dynamism and competitiveness.
For now, the drumbeat from Brussels and Munich is clear: Europe wants to keep both its market and its ambitions alive. In the quiet diplomacy of summit halls and the public cadence of presidential speeches, a new rhythm may be emerging — one in which speed and unity are not seen as opposing forces, but as complementary steps on a long road of integration and adaptation.
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