European Union leaders gathered Thursday at the 16th-century Alden Biesen castle in Belgium for an informal retreat designed to chart a course through what may be the most challenging geopolitical environment the bloc has faced since its founding. The meeting, chaired by European Council President António Costa, focused on strengthening the Single Market, reducing barriers to growth, and enhancing Europe's strategic autonomy.
The setting was symbolic: a medieval fortress, surrounded by moats, hosting leaders of a 27-nation union that increasingly feels besieged. From Washington's tariffs and confrontational rhetoric to Beijing's flooding of European markets with cheap exports, and Moscow's ongoing hybrid warfare, the pressures are converging from all directions.
Macron and Merz Project Unity
The most closely watched moment came when French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz arrived together, crossing the castle's drawbridge side by side — a carefully choreographed image of Franco-German unity. The two leaders have publicly staked out different strategic positions: Macron has pushed for deeper European integration and defence autonomy, while Merz has emphasised deregulation and a more pragmatic relationship with Washington.
"We share this sense of urgency that Europe must take action."
— Emmanuel Macron, arriving at Alden Biesen
Merz struck a business-friendly tone, declaring that the priority was to make the EU "faster" and "better" while ensuring competitive industry across the continent. He and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni have been leading a push for cutting red tape, rebooting the transatlantic relationship, and reducing the regulatory burden on European businesses.
The Competitiveness Question
Former ECB President Mario Draghi and former Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta were invited to present their perspectives on European competitiveness and the future of the Single Market. Draghi's landmark report from 2024 had warned that Europe risked "slow agony" without dramatic reform — a message that has only gained urgency as the continent's export model comes under sustained pressure.
According to a recent Eurobarometer survey, citizens across the bloc are increasingly supportive of a stronger EU with more unified leadership, driven by military threats, economic pressures, and climate instability. Observers noted this represents a rare alignment between public sentiment and the reform agenda being discussed at the summit.
Belgium's Warning
Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever, hosting the event, offered a candid metaphor for Europe's predicament. He compared the continent to a ship whose crew knows the direction but cannot seem to reach the helm. The comment encapsulated a frustration shared by many leaders: Europe has the analysis, the reports, and the plans — what it lacks is the speed to execute them.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reinforced the economic message, arguing that Europe's strength on the global stage depends fundamentally on its economic competitiveness. The summit is intended to lay the groundwork for more concrete commitments at a follow-up European Council meeting scheduled for late March.
What Comes Next
The Alden Biesen retreat produced no binding decisions — that was by design. But the gathering served as an important pressure-test of European solidarity at a moment when the forces pulling the bloc apart are as strong as those holding it together. Whether the show of unity at the castle drawbridge translates into action in Brussels will determine whether 2026 is remembered as the year Europe stepped up — or stepped aside.