How to Earn Money by Completing Economy Missions in Europa Universalis 5

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When you start a new game in Europa Universalis 5, the game prompts you to select one of three mission trees: Economy, Expansion, or Politics. Each tree is rich with content, but you can only pursue one at a time, so choose wisely to align with your goals.

If you want to focus on building a strong economy by boosting your markets and banking, the Economy mission tree is a great choice. It offers four key missions:

Develop a Capital Economy
Infrastructure Efforts
The Development of Trade
Traditional Economy

Note that “Develop a Capital Economy” has two branches that cannot be pursued at the same time, requiring two separate playthroughs with a 25-year gap between them.

Unlike other policy trees, completing these Economy missions provides tangible rewards, which can help your nation grow faster. To get the most out of these, it’s recommended to start with either Infrastructure Efforts or Developing a Capital Economy. These will give early boosts: Infrastructure provides extra Administrative, Diplomatic, and Military abilities, while the Capital Economy grants profits—Ducats—and increases Crown Power for a strong start.

While you can set your own order, it’s best to aim to complete The Development of Trade last, as it requires more initial setup and resources.

How to Complete “Develop a Capital Economy”

This mission focuses on increasing your country’s wealth through production, trade, or loans. You’ll need to establish markets and improve infrastructure. Your first step is to grant privileges to your Burghers—artisans and vendors—raising their Satisfaction to 60%. Then, you should explore your Markets tab to start importing and exporting goods, which can be done instantly.

Next, you’ll need to gain new Burghers by building new structures for them and weather economic pressures for a year. After that, choose your focus: either Manufactory Focus or Trade Focus.

Manufactory Focus steps include:

Expand Construction Materials: produce 40 units of Clay, Lumber, Sand, or Stone, or fully develop the Resources Gathering Operations (RGO).
Import construction materials if preferred.
Ensure your city has a trade surplus of the goods.
Develop a way to produce specific goods, then upgrade or build additional manufactories.
Export the goods, aiming for a profit over one Gold, satisfying demand, and maximizing export profits.

Trade Focus steps include:

Increase Trade Capacity by 10.
Gain 10 additional Trade Advantages.
Export and import four goods that turn a profit.
Increase overall trade income.
Expand into new markets by sending merchants.
Add at least eight Gold to your income from trade.

Once these tasks are complete, you’ll receive Profit Dividends for 20 years.

Infrastructure Efforts

To develop your capital region, you need to own at least two territories, which is straightforward if starting with a good economy country. Focus on building four new structures in your capital—these could be anything that benefits your population.

Your goals include:

Building Royal Courts or Republican Assemblies.
Increasing prosperity by 20%.
Raising employment to 75% and populating Nobles and Burghers.
Achieving full control over regions surrounding your capital.

You should also push for centralization, control your region, and improve local food supplies. Building roads connecting regions helps, and boosting your ruler’s abilities is a bonus, especially as you control more territory.

The Development of Trade

This mission requires you to embrace banking and control two critical locations: a coastal port and a significant city outside your capital. Since banking is an institution that appears in specific locations, watch for it to spread naturally to your country.

Key steps include:

Building a Wharf at your port, fully staffing it.
Upgrading to Docks if possible.
Constructing a Market and Entrepôt.
Securing the Market Center in your capital.

Subsequently, you’ll improve your naval strength and trade influence, boosting your trade capacity and profitability.

Traditional Economy

This branch emphasizes rural and resource development. Tasks involve:

Fully expanding the local Resources Gathering Operations.
Waiting a year to stabilize your economy.
Increasing workforce by 1,000.
Building Rural Clothmakers to enhance prosperity.

The final part of the Traditional Economy is building Village Marketplaces, which improves prosperity and unlocks further objectives, such as building Market Villages and achieving positive Prosperity in the region. Finishing these tasks will grant the entire region the Great Rural Center modifier for 20 years.

By completing these missions carefully, your nation will see enhanced economic strength, better infrastructure, and increased wealth—setting a solid foundation for long-term success.