Headlines

Head of TotalEnergies says EU may wish to consider its own DOGE programme

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review

Posted on February 21, 2025

1 min read

· Last updated: February 27, 2026

Add as preferred source on Google
Patrick Pouyanne discusses EU's potential DOGE programme at Council on Foreign Relations - Global Banking & Finance Review
Patrick Pouyanne, CEO of TotalEnergies, speaks at the Council on Foreign Relations about the EU considering its own DOGE programme for government efficiency, highlighting bureaucratic challenges compared to the US and China.
Global Banking & Finance Awards 2026 — Call for Entries

PARIS (Reuters) - Patrick Pouyanne, the chairman and chief executive of TotalEnergies, said on Friday that the European Union may wish to consider its own DOGE government downsizing programme, like

Head of TotalEnergies says EU may wish to consider its own DOGE programme

PARIS (Reuters) - Patrick Pouyanne, the chairman and chief executive of TotalEnergies, said on Friday that the European Union may wish to consider its own DOGE government downsizing programme, like the one underway in the United States.

Many critics of the European Union say its bureaucratic processes hold back the bloc compared to the United States and China, which have faster growing economies.

"I don't know if we need a DOGE programme, all these civil servants....It's a question, can Europeans really re-think their own model?" said Pouyanne, speaking at the Council on Foreign Relations.

U.S. President Donald Trump has made the Department of Government Efficiency one of his key policies, with Elon Musk overseeing the cost-cutting programme.

(Reporting by America Hernandez and Sudip Kar-Gupta; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)

Key Takeaways

  • TotalEnergies CEO suggests EU consider a DOGE programme.
  • EU's bureaucratic processes may hinder economic growth.
  • The US has a similar programme led by Elon Musk.
  • The idea is to enhance government efficiency.
  • Discussion took place at the Council on Foreign Relations.

Frequently Asked Questions

What did Patrick Pouyanne suggest regarding the EU?
Patrick Pouyanne suggested that the European Union may wish to consider its own DOGE government downsizing programme.
What are the criticisms of the European Union mentioned in the article?
Critics argue that the European Union's bureaucratic processes hinder its competitiveness compared to faster-growing economies like the United States and China.
What is the context of the DOGE programme discussion?
Pouyanne raised the question of whether Europeans can rethink their own model while discussing the potential need for a DOGE programme.
Who oversees the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency?
Elon Musk oversees the U.S. Department of Government Efficiency, which is a key policy of former President Donald Trump.

Tags

Related Articles

More from Headlines

Explore more articles in the Headlines category