The next five years offer a transformative opportunity for Europe.
Invest Europe calls for bold action from European policymakers to unlock a wave of investment that empowers innovation, tackles climate change, and strengthens our infrastructure. By investing in ourselves, we can create a Europe that is thriving, sustainable, and a global leader. Let’s unleash Europe’s potential and build a future that benefits all.
Introduction
To realise Europe’s twin transition, we must unlock a new wave of investment that has yet to be tapped.
Eric de Montgolfier, Chief Executive Officer, Invest Europe
The new EU mandate offers European industry a moment to reflect on the next five years, while private capital investors maintain a longer-term perspective, focusing on enduring impact rather than short-term gains. Addressing significant challenges like climate change, social inequality, inadequate infrastructure, and tech threats requires sustained strategies beyond a single political cycle.
In recent years, the EU has introduced ambitious regulations under the Green Deal and Digital Strategy, demonstrating its commitment to sustainability and digital policy. The new mandate provides an opportunity to build on this foundation and further Europe's leadership in these areas. However, innovation must also be prioritised to achieve our shared digital and sustainability goals.
A more competitive Europe is crucial for achieving strategic objectives, necessitating targeted investments in value chains and infrastructure. Increased funding for European companies is essential for future influence and scalability. As experts in financing, private capital investors are well-positioned to support this growth.
Policymakers must prioritise speed and scale over the next five years. Our recommendations in this paper outline steps to capitalise on funding opportunities, enhance financing for critical infrastructure, and position Europe as a global leader. This will attract the necessary investment to empower innovators and drive Europe forward.
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What Europe needs
Private equity provides long-term investments, dynamism, strategic outlook, and flexible tactics to companies throughout their growth cycle.
Invest Europe calls for a new era of strategic investment. Funding must flow towards innovation, tackling climate change, and fortifying infrastructure. By empowering these areas, we can build a Europe that is a leader in sustainability, economic strength, and technological independence.
Innovation
We have to develop the most innovative technologies, creating new businesses and jobs for citizens.
Climate action
We must chase solutions to climate change and develop the circular economy to empower EU citizens to make sustainable choices.
Infrastructure
We need to transform our infrastructure, focusing on all relevant industrial sectors, to make it first in class.
Sovereignty
We must build our geopolitical status to no longer be dependent on external might.
What we provide
Expert investors, with deep company knowledge, build better businesses: stronger management, sharper operations, and new markets.
Private equity, infrastructure and venture capital fund managers act as a bridge between investors, whether global or local, institutional or retail, and, best-in-class growing EU businesses, from the smallest start-ups to late-stage scale-ups, and soon-to-be European champions.
8,391
European companies received investment in 2023
€100bn
invested into European companies in 2023
€557bn
invested in European companies from 2019 to 2023
7.2%
job creation rate in private equity-backed companies in 2022 (vs 2% seen in European companies overall)
Explore our 12 priorities
Priority 1: Take down barriers that prevent pension funds and insurers from financing our digital and climate transition
Priority 2: Redirect EU citizens’ savings to productive asset classes through changes to EU passport and reporting requirements
Priority 3: Attract foreign capital to the Union
Priority 4: Complete the Capital Markets Union
Priority 5: Leverage existing funding initiatives and create an EU Champions Fund
Priority 6: Secure tax policies that are simple to adhere to, promote growth and incentivise cross-border fundraising & investments
Priority 7: Develop a programme of EU regulations to promote talent mobility and the digitalisation of Europe
Priority 8: Reshape EU company law to incentivise equity investments
Priority 9: Develop a flexible, opt-in EU insolvency law on top of the existing EU-wide rules
Priority 10: Ensure there is a straightforward, seamless, and compatible EU sustainability disclosure framework
Priority 11: Attract private capital finance to the EU’s most critical sectors, from infrastructure (digital, climate, transport, energy) to defence
Priority 12: Improve the cross-border EU investment environment
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Policy
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Success stories
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Key policy areas
Key policy areas for private equity and venture capital