The leaders of Italy and Germany are convening a meeting ahead of the summit at Alden Biesen to discuss the economic future of the EU.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni organized a meeting on the competitiveness of the European Union for February 12, ahead of the informal summit at Alden Biesen Castle in Belgium. The initiative, also supported by Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, was communicated to the Élysée Palace, but no responses were received from France, reflecting tensions in the Franco-German axis.

Leaders from various European countries are expected to attend the meeting, and the European Commission will preside over the event. Meloni and Merz want to strengthen Europe from within, in the context of an unstable transatlantic relationship. There is also discussion about a possible 'Europe with 2 speeds', in an attempt to overcome the EU's decision-making inertia. Former Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi warned that Europe risks becoming divided and deindustrialized if it does not transform into an authentic federation, emphasizing the need for a profound change in its political structure.