The European Union has reached a crossroads. Its future development — even its survival — faces fundamental challenges in a turbulent global environment. As unity and effective action are imperative, the EU’s genuine renewal cannot be postponed. This volume offers a new narrative for European integration that recognises the heterogeneity of the member states, particularly as the Union expands to include the Western Balkans, Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova. Contributions from leading academic and policy experts discuss the reforms and policies needed to address these challenges and harness emerging opportunities. By considering economic, social, institutional, and environmental aspects of development, the book presents a vision for a fair and sustainable European Union. It focuses on economic prosperity, the green transition, global geopolitics, social protection, innovation, and institutional reforms. In an era of geoeconomic fragmentation, the EU’s unity and effective action are imperative. This open-access book will be relevant to students, researchers, and policymakers interested in comparative and international economics and European studies.

István P. Székely is a retired Director of the Directorate-General for Economic and Financial Affairs at the European Commission. He is also Co-Editor-in-Chief of Acta Oeconomica, and an Honorary Professor at Corvinus University, Budapest, Hungary.

Péter Halmai is Professor of Economics at the Budapest University of Technology and Economics and the National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary. He is also a Jean Monnet Professor and a full member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (HAS) as Chair of the Academy’s Section of Economics and Law.