The centre-right European People’s Party (EPP) met in Berlin on Saturday to outline its priorities for 2025 with leaders focussing on stopping the rise of the hard-right, promoting competitiveness, clamping down on illegal migration.

“This year, the EPP will ensure that competitiveness and securing prosperity are number one on the agenda,” the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union, Friedrich Merz told his fellow EPP members.

“The second major issue is, we must now stop illegal migration, not just talk about it, but act. And the third: We must ensure that we secure peace. And we can only do that by taking a strong military stance.”

“We need tougher rules to limit irregular migration to Europe,” he added.

Merz is currently the favourite to win Germany’s federal election in February and be elected as its new chancellor.

“Lower productivity in the EU”

The EPP highlighted that European industry is getting less competitive as growth in Europe lags behind other regions. There is a growing GDP gap with the US, from 17% in 2002 to 30% in 2023.

“The main reason for the worsening situation is lower productivity in the EU, which leads to slower income growth and weaker domestic demand in Europe. Recently, international trade has come under pressure – putting additional strain on many export-oriented sectors of our economies,” the party stated.

It added that “the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine and the subsequent increase in energy prices have additionally worsened the economic outlook in Europe.”

The EPP proposes simplifying existing laws, cutting unnecessary rules, and adopting a “one in, two out” rule for new regulations.

And it’s also suggests delaying and reducing the scope of corporate sustainability laws to ease the burden on businesses.