In short
- Technical standards underpin Europe’s economy and determine who leads in key sectors and global rule-setting
- China and the US use standards strategically; Europe must strengthen and accelerate its own model
- The EU’s hybrid system combines legitimacy and expertise but struggles to keep pace with geopolitical and technological change
- A faster, more coherent and internationally engaged approach can turn standardisation into a key pillar of Europe’s competitiveness and influence
Europe’s single market is not only an engine of prosperity, it is a source of geopolitical power. This report explores how standardisation, often seen as a technical field, can strengthen the EU’s competitiveness, reduce dependencies and reinforce its influence in the world. It argues that to protect Europe’s interests in an era of great power rivalry, the EU must make its system of standard-setting faster, more coherent and more strategic.
About the author:
Rem Korteweg leads the Geopolitics of Trade Programme and Clingendael United States Programme within the EU & Global Affairs Unit at the Clingendael Institute.
Diederick is an EU expert at the Clingendael Institute, where he has been engaged in strategic thinking on the European Union since February 2022.