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Where can Europe be independent?
Description
In this episode of The Sound of Economics, host Rebecca Christie speaks to former EU Competition Executive Vice President Margrethe Vestager -- now chair of the board at Danish Technical University -- and Ditte Brasso Sørensen, who leads Think Tank EUROPA’s Stocktaking EU project, about how Europe can reduce its dependencies without grasping for the impossible goal of full economic independence. How can the European Union make its state aid framework fit for purpose? Can Europe anchor its own AI companies, and how will the big US firms manage their European business? What is the role of clean technology and critical raw materials in securing the EU’s future? Denmark’s experience of European integration, particularly on key topics such as Greenland and the euro, shows how countries can balance sovereignty with shared purpose.
Related research:
- Brasso Sørensen, D., K. Wexøe-Mikkelsen and K. Glory Bakker (2026) ‘High level conclusions: Stocktaking EU 2026: Conference - Coordinating European Strength - Building unity in security, trade, competitiveness and energy’, EUROPA, available at: https://thinkeuropa.dk/en/brief/2026-02-high-level-conclusions-stocktaking-eu-2026-conference-coordinating-european-strength
Grabbe, H. and J. Zettelmeyer (2024) ‘Not yet Trump-proof: an evaluation of the European Commission’s emerging policy platform’, Policy Brief 03/2025, Bruegel, available at: https://www.bruegel.org/policy-brief/not-yet-trump-proof-evaluation-european-commissions-emerging-policy-platform