A new study by the European Employers Institute (EEI), conducted by Rexecode, finds that the EU–US labour productivity gap has widened significantly since 2019.
The report highlights four main drivers: the EU’s employment-preservation approach during the pandemic, the US digital and AI investment boom, Europe’s industrial competitiveness shock (energy, regulation, China), and weaker private demand and investment.

The second study on productivity, commissioned by the European Employers Institute (EEI) and conducted by Rexecode, offers a detailed country- and sector-level analysis of the EU–US productivity gap over the 1995–2019 period. The findings show that the core EU economies – Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, and the Netherlands – are the main contributors to the EU’s slower productivity growth, despite their strong overall contribution to the European economy.

In this joint statement, ECEG and ANE call for the (re)establishment of the STEM Interest Group in the European Parliament. The latter has been active for several years and has collaborated with other institutions and interest groups to promote policies that encourage STEM education, gender equality in these fields, and the adoption of advanced technologies at the European level. The group also focused on how European policies could respond to the challenges and opportunities offered by rapid technological and scientific developments.
As it was in the past, the STEM Interest Group could aim at raising awareness among MEPs, European institutions and other stakeholders on the issue of STEM skills shortage, as well as at promoting interest in STEM disciplines.

European businesses face bureaucratic hurdles that hinder labour mobility and competitiveness. A modernised Regulation 883/2004 would reduce red tape, enhance mobility, and provide legal certainty, especially given new forms of work like teleworking. After years of negotiations, with 80% of the regulation already agreed upon, it is crucial to finalise the process rather than risk withdrawal.
In this joint statement, employers' associations urge the European Commission, Council, and Parliament to conclude negotiations.

In this written contribution, ECEG set out its position in response to the consultation on the Fair Labour Mobility Package, highlighting key challenges and opportunities related to cross-border labour mobility, as well as the importance of digitalisation, including ESSPASS, the eDeclaration and the EU Digital Identity Wallet, to reduce administrative burdens while enhancing compliance and competitiveness.