Episode 137 – Can Europe Move From Diagnosis to Delivery?

In this episode of Current Account, Clay is joined by Meghan Milloy, the IIF’s Managing Director and Head of Corporate Communications, and Martin Boer, General Manager of the IIF’s Brussels Office and Chief Representative, Europe, to revisit Europe at a moment of mounting complexity - fresh off the IIF’s European Summit in Brussels on March 4-5.

Clay reflects on the policy conversations shaping Europe’s agenda; conversations that were already wide‑ranging before a sudden escalation of conflict in the Middle East reshaped the economic backdrop. With crude prices sharply higher and natural gas prices surging, Europe finds itself confronting an immediate energy shock just as it enters the spring with unusually low inventories and reduced access to energy resources.

To begin to unpack these developments and the priorities emerging across the continent, Meghan shares insights from her conversations with policymakers and industry leaders at the Summit, highlighting what is top of mind for European stakeholders, from immediate concerns about energy security to the broader challenge of sustaining growth. Martin brings a view from the ground on regulatory simplification efforts, noting that while the topic is gaining attention, meaningful progress remains uneven. He also discusses the rapid rise of defense financing as a central policy priority and how governments, banks, and investors are weighing ways to support defense needs without crowding out other long‑standing commitments.

Together, Meghan and Martin reflect on the evolving transatlantic relationship and what recent shifts mean for financial cooperation, especially as Europe and the United States grapple with geopolitical uncertainty, supply chain adjustments, and diverging regulatory pathways.

This IIF Podcast was hosted by Clay Lowery, Executive Vice President, Research and Policy, with production and research contributions from Christian Klein, Digital Graphics and Production Associate and Miranda Silverman, Senior Program Assistant.