The IMD (International Institute for Management Development) in Lausanne has reported that Switzerland, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Denmark (the first EU country) are the highest-ranked countries in the world in terms of competitiveness. They are followed by the UAE, Taiwan, Ireland, Sweden, and Qatar. The United States had long been first, but it crashed in 2020 and has since declined, to the point where it is now ranked 13th. The ranking is the average of as many rankings as there are competitiveness-determining elements (330). By grouping them progressively, the overall ranking is obtained. If the 27 European countries were a single country, they would rank 33rd. The member countries are spread (Denmark ranks fourth, Slovakia 63rd). Italy, overtaken in 2025 by Latvia and Chile, is in 43rd place, below the EU average. It dropped from 41st to 45th in 2021 due to poorer corporate efficiency (from 35th to 45th) and aging infrastructure (from 29th to 34th), despite a favorable economic performance (from 39th to 31st). The average ranking for business efficiency is 45th, with finance (29th), productivity (32nd), attitudes and values (46th), management practices (49th), and labor market (59th). In infrastructure, the 34th place is the average of: environmental and health infrastructure (20th), scientific infrastructure (21st), education (schools and universities, 33rd), technological infrastructure (48th) and basic infrastructure (50th). In short, there is still a lot of work to be done.