From Conflict to Coordination: Europe’s Industrial and Competition Policies Amid Geoeconomic Uncertainty –

In today’s shifting global landscape, the long-held view that industrial policy and competition policy are fundamentally at odds is being reconsidered. In an era marked by geopolitical tensions, rapid technological change and vulnerable supply chains, governments are increasingly exploring how these policy tools might reinforce one another. In the European context, this shift has become increasingly urgent as industries face investment stagnation, rising production costs and technological gaps that national measures alone struggle to address. In sectors such as defence, fragmented markets and home-biased procurement are undermining innovation and scale, prompting calls for more integrated approaches. How can the balance between market openness and strategic intervention be maintained? What forms of institutional coordination will support this shift? How can long-term competitiveness be secured without repeating the missteps of past industrial activism?