| Initially, Mario Draghi’s report on the future of Europe’s competitiveness was expected to go out before the EU elections in June, but it was postponed until after summer, in September. September, however, is also the month when the portfolios of the next EU Commission will take shape. Some in Brussels suggest that the report may influence the shape of the next EU Commission’s portfolios. A Brussels insider told Euractiv that von der Leyen cannot “avoid” Draghi’s report, as she personally requested it, and announced it at her 2023 State of the Union speech. In Brussels circles, it is common knowledge that von der Leyen gives high praise to the former Italian prime minister, who she has described as “one of Europe’s great economic minds”. In light of the potential return of Donald Trump, the rising competition with China, and broken relations with Russia, Europe’s already ailing competitiveness has come into the spotlight of future policies. The report is expected to deliver a practical guide to strengthen EU competitiveness but officially, the details are unknown. An indication could be a closed-door discussion with Draghi, at an EU Commission college meeting last January. | 