10/09/2025 – The EU's Global Gateway initiative aims to support partner countries in building power grids, transport routes, internet connections, schools, and clinics – while simultaneously offering an alternative to China's Belt and Road Initiative. Four years in, however, the EU’s flagship initiative remains far below its potential, with many businesses left out.

For this reason, the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK) has issued a new position paper calling for lower hurdles and better conditions, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). “If Global Gateway is to serve as an international counterweight, it must become practical, swift, and straightforward for European SMEs,” demands DIHK’s Head of Foreign Trade, Volker Treier. Currently, participation by many companies fails due to complicated funding requirements, lack of support in partner search, and insufficient risk coverage. 

The position paper proposes specific improvements: simplified tenders, guarantees against investment losses, a central one-stop shop for guidance, and SME access to funding with reduced minimum volumes. Additionally, the DIHK suggests enhancing the effectiveness of the EU's new trade and investment partnerships (Clean Trade and Investment Partnerships). 

The DIHK also believes that the visibility and management of Global Gateway must be strengthened. “If, in the long term, the majority of investments are to come from private sources, profitability and planning security must play a significantly larger role. For this, the private sector needs to be integrated into the initiative’s decision-making structures,” Treier emphasizes. 

“Global Gateway has the potential to close infrastructure gaps worldwide while bringing European businesses more into play. Yet, so far the initiative has fallen far short of its possibilities. Four years after its launch, a holistic approach that better considers the needs of businesses is urgently required,” summarizes Treier.