Draghi-Led Rhine Group Launches to Revive Europe's Competitive Edge
A new lobby group called the 'Rhine Group' has been launched by European business leaders and academics to address Europe's competitiveness challenges. The group, which includes 55 high-level members, is led by former European Central Bank President Mario Draghi and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison. They aim to build on a 2024 report by Draghi that highlighted Europe's weaknesses in emerging technologies. The group will hold its inaugural session from September 20-23.
The Rhine Group has a diverse membership, with French and German members making up the largest national groups, followed by Italians, Britons, and Spaniards. Notable members include former French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire, former Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, and Nobel laureate economist Philippe Aghion.
The group's founders argue that Europe is facing an even more difficult situation than when Draghi's report was released. They claim that 'in every emerging technology that will shape the coming decades, Europe is weak.'