The article attempts to assess the EU’s competitiveness based on the existing complex indicators. The key transformations of the competitive positions of the integration association in general and relatively to the USA and China for the last decade and a half are analyzed. The similarity of trends of China’s and the EU’s competitiveness is revealed. The EU is still being in a difficult situation against the background of USA’s declining leadership and worsening American- Chinese relations. The EU’s increasing dependence on the USA and China is shown in the foreign trade sector as one of the factors that determined its competitiveness. Against the background of the declining importance of the integration association in the world trade the role of the USA and China as the EU’s trade partner increases while imbalances of its foreign trade relations persist. The narrow sectoral structure with existing sensitive sectors, trade deficit and exceeding dependence on supplies from China of the leading member- states do not contribute to the strengthening of the European positions. Common dynamics of the EU’s competitiveness and its parts with the importance of countries specific is shown using the example of the Visegrad Group as a sub-integration association. The high level of the Visegrad economies openness against the background of the main orientation on the EU member- states and its own market doesn’t provide them with leading competitive positions. China is a priority partner for the “four” unlike the EU as a whole, with the low level of relations with the USA. The drivers of the EU competitiveness, that should provide its stable global positions according to the EU plans, are affected by the crisis processes. The conclusion that the EU will be exposed to new challenges in the situation of the transformation of the world order is made.