Gordon Brown has called for greater European co-operation to help drag the region out of recession.
He was writing in the Financial Times ahead of next week's European elections.
The PM called for a more "focused Europe-wide strategy for growth," including more and quicker central bank lending and co-ordinated action to help the continent's ailing car industries.
He said the decline of what is the UK's biggest export market - comprising 60% of overseas sales - was the country's "biggest anti-recession challenge". Latest official estimates have forecast a 4% decline in output across the EU this year.
Mr Brown said he has asked the European Investment Bank to increase its business and infrastructure lending by 50 billion euro (£44bn) and to accelerate the lending process.
He also said EU states needed to work closer together to find sustainable solutions for the car industry, and to have a "clear determination" to avoid long-term unemployment.
He said: "The next stage in the recovery from global recession must be a strengthened European growth strategy."
The PM said he has spoken to European Commission president, Manuel Barroso, about setting an "ambitious" EU target for apprenticeships.
"In the UK, we have guaranteed every young person under the age of 18 a place in education, training or a job," Mr Brown said. "But we need to do more across Europe."
He added: "With a strong commitment to work with our European partners to confront these economic challenges, we can lay the groundwork for a European recovery."
