Unveiling the economic divide between the U.S. and Eurozone

The report highlights a staggering increase in the economic gap between the regions: Since 1999, the economic disparity has grown from 11% to 30%, with the average American enjoying a 35% higher real income than the average European, a gap that has widened significantly since the 2008 financial crisis.

Several key factors give the U.S. an upper hand. These include:

  • More flexible economic policies, aided by lower government funding costs.
  • The advantage of lower energy costs, a boon in times of energy and geopolitical uncertainty.
  • A significant lead in the technology sector, underpinned by better access to early-stage financing and international talent.
  • Strong demographics profile and natural resource availability, crucial for powering the green transition.

In contrast, Europe's challenges stem largely from self-imposed constraints:

  • Over-regulation and red tape are stifling productivity growth.
  • Fragmented capital markets that limit efficient funding.
  • Complex and backlog-prone EU programs, impeding economic development.
  • Political and national interests hindering initiatives like the Capital Markets Union.

Yet, it's not all doom and gloom for the Eurozone. Europe is spearheading the green transition, with significantly lower CO2 emissions and a lead in green goods trade. This shift toward a green economy offers a beacon of hope, potentially generating jobs and offsetting the impacts of deindustrialization in declining sectors.

To regain its competitive edge, the Eurozone must act swiftly and decisively. Key areas of focus should include:

  • Cutting down on red tape and over-regulation.
  • Revitalizing the Capital Markets Union.
  • Streamlining the absorption of EU funds.
  • Strengthening European industrial policies to mitigate subsidy races.

Europe's economic revitalization hinges on structural reforms, financial integration, and the completion of initiatives like the Banking Union. The choices made now will significantly impact the region's economic future.

This Allianz Research report is not just a collection of data and trends; it's a call to action for policymakers and business leaders alike. You can find the detailed analysis here.

The Allianz Group is one of the world’s leading insurers and asset managers, active in almost 70 countries and serving around 97 million private and corporate customers*. Allianz customers benefit from a broad range of personal and corporate insurance services, ranging from property, life and health insurance to assistance services to credit insurance and global business insurance. Allianz is one of the world’s largest investors, managing around 764 billion euros** on behalf of its insurance customers. Furthermore, our asset managers PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors manage about 2.0 trillion euros** of third-party assets. Thanks to our systematic integration of ecological and social criteria in our business processes and investment decisions, we are among the leaders in the insurance industry in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index. In 2025, over 156,000 employees achieved total business volume of 186.9 billion euros and an operating profit of 17.4 billion euros for the Group.

* Customer count reflects Allianz customers in consolidated entities that are part of the customer reporting scope only.

** As of December 31, 2025.

As with all content published on this site, these statements are subject to our cautionary note regarding forward-looking statements:

Drivers are too distracted by modern technology

A recent Allianz report finds that driver distraction due to modern technology has increased significantly. Distractions caused by using modern technology while driving increase the risk of accidents by 50 percent. Findings show that texting has ousted talking on the phone as the main cell phone offense, and driver monitoring is opposed by a majority.

States of Mind Health Report: Lack of awareness about chronic diseases risks adding to healthcare costs

Allianz Partners’ States of Mind Health Report reveals three mindset shifts required to achieve better outcomes within healthcare systems.

Allianz Risk Barometer 2023

The 12th edition of the Allianz Risk Barometer identifies the most important corporate concerns for 2023, ranked by 2,712 risk management experts from a record 94 countries and territories.