Abstract
The article discusses the structural decline in Europe’s competitiveness and argues for a strategic reorientation of European industrial policy. It proposes an integrated and systemic understanding of competitiveness across macro, meso, and micro levels, highlighting the meso level with its value creation networks and regional location factors as a key lever for enhancing location attractiveness. The paper outlines actionable policy recommendations and calls for a coordinated, forward-looking industrial strategy that strengthens Europe’s resilience, innovation capacity, and geopolitical agency by actively shaping the conditions for strong regional value creation.