Maxime Legrand: “Europe must dare to lead — with intelligence, courage, and dignity”

Today in Brussels, at the Tripartite Social Summit, CEC European Managers calls for a balanced, sovereign, and purpose-driven Europe.

As one of the six EU Social Partners speaking at the Tripartite Social Summit in Brussels, Maxime Legrand, President of CEC European Managers, urged EU leaders to strengthen Europe’s capacity to act — economically and politically — through a model that unites competitiveness with cohesion, and performance with purpose.

Representing both CEC European Managers and the Liaison Committee with Eurocadres, Legrand addressed the session on “A stronger Union economically and politically” alongside European and national leaders including President Ursula von der Leyen and President António Costa.

At a time of accelerating global transformations, Legrand positioned European managers as key actors in making Europe “stronger in a changing world that delivers for workers and enterprises.” His message: Europe must not simply imitate global powers based on financial dominance or industrial centralisation, but define its own path, guided by balance, ethics and long-term purpose.

Legrand called for a Europe that invests both in its people and in its sovereignty. This includes mastering new technologies such as AI and quantum computing, securing critical raw materials, and ensuring access to clean energy — all while keeping the green and digital transitions socially fair.

“Competitiveness without cohesion is fragility — and cohesion without competitiveness is illusion,” Legrand said, arguing that Europe’s strength must be measured not only by economic growth, but by “the quality, sustainability and dignity of what it creates — in its work, in its products, and in the lives of its people.”

For Legrand, Europe’s pride should stem from what it makes and what it stands for — reaffirming the European social model as a source of legitimacy and unity.

Managers at the heart of transformation

Positioning managers as “the crossroads of this transformation,” Legrand underlined their dual mission: to deliver performance and ensure that progress remains human.

To fulfil this role, managers need clear and stable frameworks:

“Predictability is not bureaucracy,” he said. “It is the foundation of trust, investment, and responsible leadership.”

Legrand highlighted CEC’s consistent advocacy for greater financial literacy and empowerment of citizens. Recalling last year’s call for a European financial education strategy, he welcomed the European Commission’s recent initiative on this front — “proof that we have been heard,” he noted.

But forming managers, he argued, is not enough: they must also be listened to when shaping policy. “They are not only the ones who implement change — they are the ones who make it possible,” he said.

Investing in human sustainability

Legrand placed strong emphasis on training and the prevention of psychosocial risks, describing both as strategic investments in “human sustainability, resilience, and leadership that lasts.”
A truly strong Union, he said, is one “where every person — from young professionals to senior leaders — can learn, grow, and contribute to shared prosperity.”

Europe’s role in global leadership

As Europe prepares for COP30, Legrand announced that CEC European Managers will continue advocating for sustainable leadership and youth empowerment.
His closing message was a call for collective European courage:

“Europe must dare to lead — together — with intelligence, courage, and dignity — and show the world that our model works, because it unites performance with purpose, and freedom with responsibility.”

Download the full speech here [+]