IMF European Department head: Europe's economy needs to change faster

IMF European Department head Mateusz Szczurek said that Europe's economy faces a dangerous combination of problems: sluggish growth, rising public debt and increasingly expensive borrowing. According to him, the continent needs to change faster, while structural weaknesses — low productivity and insufficient competitiveness — continue to hold back development.

Aziz KarimovFirst published on tafs uz 13 November 2026 at 13:311 min read

The key facts

The IMF sees Europe facing a combination of sluggish growth, rising public debt and rising borrowing costs
Sovereign bond yields are pressuring budgets, calling future investment into question
Structural problems — low productivity and weak competitiveness — persist

IMF: Europe needs to change faster

Mateusz Szczurek, head of the International Monetary Fund's European Department, said in an interview with Euronews that Europe's economy needs to 'change faster.' In his assessment, the continent faces a dangerous combination of challenges: sluggish economic growth, rising public debt and increasing borrowing costs.

Debt and borrowing costs are straining budgets

According to the IMF, sovereign bond yields are putting pressure on public finances, as a result of which Europe's ability to invest in its own future is increasingly being called into question. At the same time, according to the fund, deeply entrenched structural weaknesses persist — from low productivity to a lack of competitiveness — which continue to hold back the continent's development. Correspondent Stefan Grobe posed the question of what exactly needs to change to put Europe back on a growth trajectory to Szczurek as part of the interview; the detailed answer from the head of the IMF's European Department is provided in the video material.