European companies call for stronger competitiveness and resilience amid geopolitical risks
A new European Business Survey provides insights into how companies operating in Europe perceive geopolitical and economic security risks and what they expect from EU policymakers. The pilot survey was jointly developed by the Bertelsmann Stiftung, Mercator Institute for China Studies (MERICS), Finnish Institute of International Affairs (FIIA) and the Netherlands Institute of International Relations (Clingendael). BusinessEurope supported the initiative by distributing the survey to its members but was not involved in shaping its content or conclusions.
The survey collected responses from 228 companies across Europe between 24 November 2025 and 5 January 2026, with around 130–150 companies answering most of the questions. As a pilot survey based on voluntary participation, the results are not statistically representative of European business as a whole, but they provide useful cross-sectoral indications of how companies are responding to economic security challenges.
Geopolitical risks are not yet fully integrated into corporate strategies
One of the main findings is that companies are adapting to geopolitical risks, but economic security is still not fully embedded in corporate decision-making. Only around one third of respondents discuss economic security at management level at least once a month. Companies most frequently reported adapting their strategies in the areas of cybersecurity, information and data security, and supply chains.
The most common risk-mitigation strategy is market diversification, pursued by 58% of respondents, followed by localisation of production (34%), stockpiling of critical inputs (31%), substitution and innovation (29%), and strengthening supply chains (25%). Larger companies generally reported taking more measures than SMEs.
The growing rivalry between the United States and China is already affecting European companies. 31% of respondents reported negative impacts from the US-China trade and technology rivalry, particularly through tariffs and export controls. At the same time, more than half of respondents do not plan to diversify away from either the US or Chinese market, highlighting their continued importance for European businesses.
Companies favour strengthening Europe’s economic base
The survey also provides a clear indication of what participating companies expect from European economic security policy. Rather than prioritising more assertive measures towards major trading partners, respondents predominantly favour policies aimed at strengthening European competitiveness and resilience.
The most frequently identified priorities for EU action were:
• creating more market opportunities within the EU – 61%
• investing more in technological innovation – 59%
• developing a coherent EU industrial policy for key sectors – 53%
• improving cohesion among EU Member States – 49%
• creating more market opportunities outside the EU – 45%
By comparison, only 18% supported more assertive measures towards China and 16% towards the United States.
When asked about concrete measures needed from the EU and its Member States, stabilising energy costs ranked first, selected by 59% of respondents. Other priorities included reinforcing national resilience and infrastructure (40%) and strengthening investment and innovation in emerging technologies (32%).
Preparedness for geopolitical shocks remains limited
The results also point to significant gaps in corporate preparedness. While 81% of respondents experienced or expected tangible impacts from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, only 10% reported having taken at least some steps to prepare for a possible Taiwan contingency. Another 13% planned to do so, while 59% had neither taken preparatory measures nor planned to introduce them.
The authors therefore identify stronger corporate resilience, a more competitive European economic base and closer information exchange between governments and businesses as important areas for further action. Among their recommendations are better guidance and support for companies, particularly SMEs, deeper integration of the Single Market, improved conditions for investment and innovation, and more structured channels for sharing information on supply-chain dependencies and geopolitical risks.
The survey thus points to a challenge for both policymakers and businesses: economic security is becoming an increasingly important part of the European economic environment, while corporate preparedness and the integration of geopolitical risks into business strategies still need to catch up.
The full study, European Business Survey: Bridging the Gap between Geopolitics and Corporate Strategy, was published in September 2026.
Background
The Confederation of Industry of the Czech Republic (SPCR) is the Czech national member of BusinessEurope, Europe’s largest business organisation and a recognised European social partner. BusinessEurope brings together 42 national business federations from 36 European countries and represents companies of all sizes in EU policymaking.
Through BusinessEurope, SPCR contributes to common European business positions and represents the interests of Czech companies at the European level. The survey included companies represented through their national and other business associations within the BusinessEurope network, including companies from the Czech Republic.