On Tuesday, 24 February, I-Com, together with IW (the German Economic Institute), hosted a policy breakfast bringing together key Italian, German and European stakeholders to discuss the shared priorities outlined in the Italian-German Plan of Action launched by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on 23 January, with particular focus on the simplification of the European rulebook.
The event featured the participation of Michelangelo Nerini, First Counsellor for Competitiveness, Growth and Energy at the Permanent Representation of Italy to the EU, who underlined the efforts undertaken to foster growth and competitiveness, as well as the five pillars of the Italian-German proposal; Till Spannagel, Head of the Economic Department at the Permanent Representation of Germany to the EU, who stressed the importance of simplification, a coherent trade policy, and the upcoming negotiations on the MFF; Matteo Borsani, Head of Delegation to the European Union at Confindustria, who highlighted the risks of asymmetric regulation and the importance of strengthening skills; and Joscha Ritz, Chief Representative in Brussels at the Federation of German Industries (BDI), who emphasised the need to translate legislative initiatives into concrete action.
The event was opened by Alexander Radunz, Policy Officer at IW, and Stefano da Empoli, President of I-Com, who introduced the topic of simplification and its relevance in the current economic context. The discussion was moderated by Giorgia Termini, Head of EU Affairs at I-Com.
A Q&A session followed, allowing participants from a wide range of sectors to engage in a constructive exchange and express both concerns and appreciation in light of their respective areas of interest.
Participants focused in particular on the currently proposed omnibus packages, the relevance of the 28th regime, and the issue of European preference.
