In the pale warmth of a desert morning, where the sun edges slowly above distant dunes and the light seems to gather promise rather than urgency, there is a sense of quiet reflection in the air. Across the world from those broad sands, in corridors of power and community alike, there is a gentle stirring of counsel — soft voices urging attention to ideas shaped by history and guided by thought. In recent days, from a global gathering of governments held under a luminous sky, one such suggestion has found its way into Europe’s broader conversation.

At the World Governments Summit in Dubai, Mathias Cormann, the head of the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD), spoke to Euronews with a tone that blended appreciation for Europe’s achievements with a hint of careful urging. He described the European Union as a “unique success story,” born of decades of integration, peace and shared prosperity, yet facing structural challenges as the world’s economic and political landscapes evolve. In that thoughtful setting, Cormann pointed to the work of Mario Draghi, the former president of the European Central Bank and once prime minister of Italy, saying that Europeans “would do well to listen very carefully” to his recommendations.

Draghi’s counsel — shaped over years of economic leadership and a report he authored in 2024 — has touched on the notion that the EU might deepen its union beyond a loose mosaic of national interests, urging a shift toward a federation‑like approach to governance that could better harness collective strength. This idea, spoken of with calm conviction, is not revolutionary in drama but earnest in intent: it proposes that, in an era where tariffs and market distortions test the limits of multilateral trade, the EU’s cohesion and competitiveness might benefit from a more unified framework.

Cormann — whose role straddles economic analysis and international dialogue — did not present Draghi’s arguments as imperatives. Rather, his words were akin to a gentle wind suggesting course corrections for sailors who have already charted much of their path. In his interview, he acknowledged that Europe’s narrative is fundamentally one of success — stability, peace and prosperity borne from closer ties — even as it stands at a crossroads where global rules of trade and cooperation are under strain. Listening, in this sense, does not mean surrendering to a single view, but remaining open to reflections born of experience and attentive to the contours of change.

Draghi himself has reiterated his vision in public remarks ahead of a retreat of European Union leaders in Belgium, an informal gathering expected to chart political guidance on pressing questions of integration and competitiveness. Among his suggestions have been calls for joint borrowing by member states to finance projects of broad common interest — from security to infrastructure — and for deeper integration of European capital markets to attract and scale up investment. Such ideas, echoing through policy debates, invite gentle contemplation on the balance between unity and diversity within the bloc.

There is a meditative quality to this exchange of ideas across conference halls and national capitals, a reminder that policy — like wind and tide — moves not in abrupt sweeps but in measured, reflective currents. Observers note that such discussions are part of a wider pattern in European discourse, where questions of how best to preserve competitiveness, respond to global trade pressures and maintain cohesion take shape not in clamour but in quiet, earnest debate.

In straightforward terms: The

OECD Secretary‑General Mathias Cormann said in an interview with Euronews that European leaders “would do well to listen” to the recommendations of Mario Draghi, the former ECB president, as the European Union faces economic and structural challenges. Draghi’s views, expressed in a 2024 report and reiterated ahead of an informal EU summit, include calls for deeper integration, a more federation‑like union and coordinated approaches such as joint borrowing and capital market integration to strengthen the bloc’s competitiveness and cohesion. Cormann emphasized that the EU remains a largely successful project but should consider these recommendations as part of ongoing policy discussions.

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Sources (Media Names Only)

Euronews OECD Reports Reuters