In a constantly changing and globalizing world, ‘Europe is a force to be reckoned with’. Nonetheless, the various challenges affecting the world obviously impact the European Union from an economic, environmental, demographic, and technologic point of view. The European Union has an opportunity to position itself as an assertive player worldwide but to do this, is it time for the EU to change its approach toward 2030? The EU has a chance to enhance its political will and to develop what Jean-Claude Juncker coined ‘Weltpolitikfähigkeit’, i.e. ‘the capacity to play a role as a Union, in shaping global affairs’.

Mega trends observed at the EU level and on a global scale include, among others, fragmentation and external competitiveness, climate change, security and migration, and technological transformation. To turn challenges into opportunities, the European Union proposes and implements solutions aiming at boosting investments, at fostering international cooperation and development, and at promoting technological innovation while addressing social challenges such as climate change.

Within this context, what are the possible outcomes that are likely to be observed at the EU level toward 2030? A secular transformation is occurring and the lack of political will may prevent the EU from becoming an assertive player worldwide. The European Union has the chance to take social and political responsibilities and to embrace change as an opportunity to positively shape the future of humanity both at the EU and at the international level. In this context, the ultimate goal of the EU shall not be the taking of power but rather the enhancement of social responsibility.

The main topics that will be tackled in this article are:

• The financial and economic landscape
• Security and migration
• Technological transformation, and
• The environment.

The conclusion will discuss possible scenarios that the EU is likely to experience toward 2030.