The Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation launches Europe 28 – Unlocking the Single Market, a cross-sector coalition inspired by Enrico Letta’s vision to complete the Single Market as a strategic priority for Europe.
In an increasingly fragmented and volatile global environment, deeper integration of the European Single Market stands out as Europe’s largest low-risk, high-return growth opportunity – one that can protect our industrial base and strengthen competitiveness, support interconnected and affordable energy systems, and enable scale-ups and innovation across borders.
Yet, despite its proven benefits, the Single Market remains incomplete. Unlocking its full potential requires renewed political momentum, trust among stakeholders and a shared understanding of what is at stake. Completing the Single Market can boost productivity, accelerate the green and digital transitions, enhance social fairness and deliver tangible benefits to citizens across all regions of Europe.
It is in this context that the Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation is launching Europe 28 – Unlocking the Single Market: stronger together, an action coalition bringing together economic, societal, academic and institutional actors from across Europe. The initiative aims to build broad-based demand and political momentum to complete the European Single Market by 2028, in line with the recommendations of the Letta report, while strengthening public understanding and participation and helping overcome persistent political deadlock.
Against this backdrop, the Jacques Delors Friends of Europe Foundation convened a policymakers’ dinner on 11 February 2026, featuring a keynote address by Enrico Letta — author of the report on the Future of the Single Market, former Prime Minister of Italy, and member of the Foundation’s Governing Board. In his remarks, Letta set out his strategic vision for deepening Single Market integration, identifying 2028 as a decisive milestone for achieving key objectives. Completing the Single Market will safeguard Europe's economic security, reinforce its competitiveness and ensure its autonomy in the years to come. But although market integration has begun, progress has been severely inhibited by a lack of political will.
The dinner brought together senior policymakers and business leaders for a closed-door exchange on how to advance integration efforts at a critical juncture for Europe, with a focus on translating political intent into concrete regulatory, economic, and institutional progress.