On March 24th, the first of two closing conferences of the Cantiere Europa project took place in Rome, at the Ministry for Enterprises and Made in Italy (MIMIT).
From September to March, this initiative organized 8 policy conversation with over 170 participants, aiming to create a hub where policymakers, business representatives, experts, and associations could discuss and share Italy’s strategic vision for the current European mandate, as well as the Union’s priorities in the fields of digitalization, energy, research, and innovation.
The conference was introduced by Paolo Quercia, Head of the Studies and Analysis Division at MIMIT, and Stefano da Empoli, President of I-Com, who presented the interim report to the audience, which compiles the studies conducted by I-Com throughout the events and highlights policy insights drawn from the discussions between institutional representatives, stakeholders, and experts.
The report will be officially published and presented in May at the European Parliament in Brussels.
Thereafter, a panel of representatives from Italian institutions took the floor, including Paolo Casalino, Director General for Industrial Policy, Conversion and Industrial Crisis, Innovation, SMEs, and Made in Italy at MIMIT; Renato Loiero, Advisor to the President of the Council of Ministers; and Francesca Salvemini, Head of the Technical Secretariat, Ministry of Environment and Energy Security. During their interventions, it was emphasized that the EU is navigating a drastically changed world, marked by complex challenges and increasing risks. However, the strategy to balance industry, trade, and sustainability, regulatory simplification, and SMEs growing role in European policies may be promising.
Finally, representatives from Cantiere Europa’s sponsors participated in a tour de table, during which they highlighted key challenges and proposed solutions to drive innovation and boost Europe’s competitiveness, both domestically and globally, within their respective sectors. Therefore, we renew our gratitude to Michele Bologna, Diego Ciulli, Luigi Ardito, Alessandro Moricca, Simone Nisi, and Michelangelo Suigo for their valuable contributions, and to Giorgio Rutelli for skillfully moderating the interactive Q&A session.
In May, Cantiere Europa will return to Brussels, at the European Parliament, to present the final report in a conference involving representatives from European institutions, MEPs, and stakeholders. This will be an opportunity to reflect on a cross-cutting project that has ambitiously proposed practical ideas to shape Europe’s future.
We thank all the participants that attended the conference and we look forward to welcoming you at the European Parliament!
