Infrastructure for a Competitive Europe

Europe’s competitiveness is losing ground, climate goals are slipping further out of reach, and our resilience is under pressure. At the heart of the challenge lies infrastructure – the energy grids, transport corridors, digital networks, and natural resources that underpin growth and prosperity. 

To remain competitive, green, and resilient, Europe must mobilise far greater investments, make faster decisions, and strengthen coordination across borders and sectors – while cutting back the overregulation that slows everything down. The challenge is vast: more than €12 trillion in infrastructure investments will be needed by 2040, yet only around 10 pct. is currently on track. On average, projects are 30 pct. more expensive and delayed by several years (BCG and DI, 2025).

DI therefore puts forward this set of recommendations as a first contribution to how the EU can build a more coherent and future-proof infrastructure foundation. The recommendations include cross-cutting measures and targeted actions in four key areas: energy infrastructure, transport infrastructure, digital infrastructure, and the natural resources required to sustain Europe’s societies, industries, and growth.