POSITION | EUROPEAN POLICY | GLOBAL GATEWAY
From Promise to Performance – Transforming Global Gateway Strengthening the geopolitical impact of Europe‘s external infrastructure investments
September 23, 2025 Summary Global Gateway was launched in 2021 but still falls short of its potential. The Commission ought to seize the ongoing negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework for the period 2028 to 2034 as a timely opportunity – not merely to settle the budgetary arrangements for Global Gateway, but also to advance the initiative with greater strategic foresight. With this paper, the Federation of German Industries (BDI) proposes recommendations on how the European Union (EU) should transform Global Gateway to increase the geopolitical impact of Europe’s external infrastructure investments. To enhance the effectiveness of the Global Gateway strategy, the EU should turn it into a platform for bottom-up collaboration, enabling European SMEs to jointly realize infrastructure projects and access new markets through reduced financial risks, strategic programming, and simplified procurement rules. Global Gateway should become a platform for bottom-up collaboration, enabling European SMEs to jointly realize infrastructure projects and access new markets through reduced financial risks, strategic programming, and simplified procurement rules. Strengthening business involvement, improving communication, streamlining bureaucratic processes, and evolving risk-sharing and financing tools are essential to ensure that Global Gateway serves both the EU’s strategic interests and the development needs of partner countries.
Jonathan Kaupenjohann | International Cooperation, Security, Raw Materials and Space | j.kaupenjohann@bdi.eu | www.bdi.eu