Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni highlighted the topic of European competitiveness from the stage of Confindustria's (Italian industrial association) annual congress, calling on the European Union to reconsider its approach to the economy, energy, and industry. "We understood how suicidal it was to depend on others in strategic matters like energy", the prime minister added, highlighting how recent international crises have pushed Europe to "wake up to the real world", albeit "with a rude awakening". Meloni emphasized that those advocating for reform in the EU "do so not to destroy, but to build", and urged Brussels to focus on "fewer things, but better." As per the prime minister, Europe must establish "sensible priorities" and act more promptly: "This determines whether you are among those who direct decisions or are subjected to them". In her speech, the prime minister underlined the need to remove bureaucratic barriers to industry and investment. "Simplification and cutting bureaucracy must be our mantra", she said.