The leaders of the 27 EU member states met at Alden Biesen castle to address economic and trade crises and discuss protection strategies.

The informal meeting of the leaders of the European Union began on Thursday at Alden Biesen Castle in Belgium, a medieval setting chosen to discuss the multiple crises affecting the community bloc. During the meeting, the leaders will analyze the EU's position in a world with increasingly fierce economic competition and trade imbalances, as well as ways to respond to economic pressures and reduce dependencies, especially in critical areas such as raw materials and technologies.

The agenda includes a presentation by Mario Draghi, former president of the European Central Bank, who will discuss the geopolitical impact on the EU's competitiveness. Additionally, former MEP Enrico Letta will provide insights on leveraging the single market in a changing global context. The meeting underscores the need to accelerate Europe's trade agenda and protect European companies from unfair competition, with the aim of establishing rules that allow for European preference in strategic sectors.