Answering questions from journalists in the Brussels press room, Mario Draghi says at one point that Europe may be destined “to a slow agony”. Indeed, in his view, we need decisive reforms, common policies, and progress in various areas: investment, innovation, decarbonisation, social equity. He cites the modest resources of households compared to those in the US; and he insists again on the demographic decline (“we will have 20 million fewer workers in 2040”). “We may eventually become a shrinking society. Perhaps, in this sense, we do not fully understand the seriousness of the situation”. The author of the competitiveness report had previously stated: “Europe’s fundamental values are prosperity, equity, freedom, peace and democracy in a sustainable environment. The EU exists to ensure that Europeans can always benefit from these fundamental rights. If Europe can no longer provide them to its people – or has to trade off one against the other – it will have lost its reason for being”. Then a point made several times: “The only way to meet this challenge is to grow and become more productive, preserving our values of equity and social inclusion”. This is why Europe must “radically change”.