European Parliament resolution on the implications and future direction of the Global Gateway
Explanatory statement
The Global Gateway Initiative, which is based on the ‘NDICI/Europe in the World’ instrument, has made tangible progress, with over 270 flagship projects and €306 billion in funds mobilised. At the same time, the second Global Gateway Forum, projects on the ground and the experiences of stakeholders show that challenges remain in terms of governance, transparency and accountability. The highly centralised top-down structure responds only to a limited extent to the needs of partner countries and the private sector, and the selection of flagship projects lacks transparency.
Parliament advocates a transition to a participatory bottom-up model that combines partner countries’ priorities with European expertise and private-sector offerings. Regulations, instruments and procedures should be adapted to increase the involvement of European companies, enhance the local relevance of the consultation platform and ensure that investments lead to sustainable job creation and value chains, are socially inclusive and strengthen social and economic resilience worldwide.
General recommendations
Parliament recommends that the Global Gateway Committee be granted decision-making powers and sufficient resources, and that the parliamentary role be strengthened in order to ensure policy coherence, democratic legitimacy, oversight of implementation, impact assessment, political support and accountability. Structural adjustments should strengthen EU capacities through better coordination and the removal of bureaucratic hurdles.
For the next regulation on the Global Europe Instrument (2028–2034), a revised Global Gateway initiative is called for, featuring clear legal mandates, parliamentary oversight, transparent financing, and inclusive and effective stakeholder participation. With these reforms, Global Gateway could realise its geopolitical potential, act as a strategic partner to competing initiatives such as China’s ‘New Silk Road’, promote sustainable development and advance the EU’s vision of a fair, rules-based international order.
Academic and scientific cooperation as a key pillar
The resolution highlights the central role of academic and scientific cooperation for the Global Gateway’s digital and innovation agenda. It recommends utilising Horizon Europe, Erasmus+ and other exchange programmes in synergy with Global Gateway projects to enable students to study in Europe, strengthen local expertise, and promote joint research, knowledge exchange and digital skills. This would strengthen education and research capacities worldwide and ensure that investments in connectivity go hand in hand with human capital development and technology transfer.
Furthermore, the European Parliament notes that many partner countries lack the financial resources for large-scale infrastructure projects. Whilst the initiative focuses heavily on infrastructure development and capacity building, the flagship projects for 2023–2025 show that less than 10% went to education and research and just over 10% to health. It is emphasised that higher investment in education, research and health could yield greater economic and social returns than investment in infrastructure.
