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      • Rome
        • 20 January 2009
         
         

        America n.1: Obama’s game plan and Europe

          The debate, held following the live telecast of the swearing-in and inauguration speech of the new President of the United States, Barack Obama, focused on the critical domestic and international situation that the new administration and President will have to face. Expectations are high and the problems are complex if not dramatic. It was precisely an awareness of the challenges ahead that probably led Obama to frame his first speech as President in rather pragmatic tones, emphasizing the sacrifices Americans will have to make in this “era of responsibility”.

        • Milan
          • 19 January 2009
           
           

          Public investment to reinforce the real economy

            In the history of any country, there are phases where it is necessary to build and phases where wealth produced needs to be distributed. Italy, hit by the international crisis, finds itself in the former condition and aims to bolster its economy by building new infrastructure and, in the process, create jobs and facilitate the movement of people and goods.

          • Washington
            • 14 December 2008
             
             

            The State of the Unions: testing transatlantic expectations after Bush

              The participants analyzed the scenario that has emerged in America since the elections of November 2008 as well as the likely prospects for American foreign policy, the changing relationship between the State and the market in light of the global economic crisis and the geopolitical situation regarding energy resources. 

            • Rome
              • 10 December 2008
               
               

              Implementing fiscal federalism in Italy: measures, timing, tools

                In the present difficult macroeconomic scenario, enacting a federalist transformation of the financial relations between the state and local government is a preordained occasion to improve the quality of administrative action; at the same time improving public expenditures according to principles of transparency, efficiency and responsibility.

              • Rome
                • 4 December 2008
                 
                 

                Italy’s national interest and energy security: the nuclear option

                  Italy’s energy system is marked by a production mixture heavily tilted in the direction of the more expensive energy sources, oil and gas, and – almost without exception – by its dependence on fuel imports. It is therefore incapable of supporting the country’s development. In comparison to its European neighbors, Italy is paying for years of delay in the development of infrastructures, to the point where today it is paying an extremely high energy bill, with serious damage to the competitiveness of our businesses.

                • Milan
                  • 17 November 2008
                   
                   

                  Reinforcing the real economy: a new beginning for industry

                    The international financial crisis and its impact on the real economy have increased the need for decisive, coordinated action by international bodies, the EU and individual nations. The greatest concern is the existence of “panic” and “lack of trust” in the markets, which is indeed what is undermining the real economy all over the world. Many maintain that, in order to restore faith in the markets and therefore face the crisis, on one hand domestic consumption must be stimulated. On the other hand, an increase in the public demand is needed for investments in infrastructures.

                  • Milan
                    • 14 November 2008
                     
                     

                    The city as a protagonist of change. Politics and quality of life in the future metropolis

                      The seventh Annual Conference for the Aspen Junior Fellows was dedicated to the topic of the city, in the year in which, for the first time in history, more than half of the world’s population lives in urban areas, as indicated in the United Nations Population Fund Report. The timeliness of this issue is confirmed by the theme of the 2010 Shanghai Expo: Better City, Better Life. By holding the conference in Milan, the challenges faced by the experimental city in its preparations for the 2015 Milan Expo were highlighted.

                    • Palermo
                      • 24 October 2008
                       
                       

                      The “Italia brand”: reinforcing the country’s identity and competitiveness

                        International public opinion has a well-defined image for every country. These impressions, often stereotypes, are influenced by centuries of history, the territory’s formation, the way its citizens behave, and even by chance. They tend to give preference to secondary aspects that have simply had a stronger impact on the collective imagination.

                      • Palermo
                        • 24 October 2008
                         
                         

                        Quality and efficiency in public services, utilities and infrastructure

                          The global financial crisis will have a major impact on the future of all of Italy’s economic system, particularly the utilities sector. Adopting an evolved Keynesian approach – above all for large infrastructures – could play a crucial role in increasing the country system’s competitiveness. The resumption of large public works – which should begin soon to help deal with this cycle of economic recession – should include identifying some extensive strategic works on which finances should be concentrated.

                        • Palermo
                          • 24 October 2008
                           
                           

                          Italy’s Mezzogiorno and the national interest

                            The seminar dealt with the issues of the Mezzogiorno from the viewpoint of the economic, social and institutional aspects of National Interest.

                            Moreover, the theme of Italy’s Mezzogiorno does not easily lend itself to any sort of sweeping analysis. There are increasing instances of areas of high economic and technological development in Southern Italy, where even local governments have shown signs of operating effectively.

                          • Palermo
                            • 24 October 2008
                             
                             

                            Industry in Italy: development and internationalization

                              The seminar dealt with the main challenges that the Italian economic system is facing in this difficult chapter marked by the international financial crisis, of systemic origin, whose extent and length have yet to be determined.

                            • Palermo
                              • 24 October 2008
                               
                               

                              Assessing Globalization

                                The debate devoted to globalisation, as it evolved, naturally shifted its focus on financial crisis even though the analysis of the short-term aspects were quickly overcome by the medium- and long-term ones. The central question referred to the nature of the crisis: is it to be considered a cyclical or a structural change? Agreeing on the second scenario would mean that we are witnessing the breakdown of an established model and the end of capitalism and globalisation as we know it.

                              • Rome
                                • 21 October 2008
                                 
                                 

                                Annual Conference for the Friends of Aspen: Market, regulation, competition and SMEs

                                  The 13th annual conference of the Friends of Aspen opened with a tribute to the recently deceased President of the Friends of Aspen, Mr Ennio Presutti. For the first time, the conference was held in Rome. Within the context of small and medium enterprise, the debate centered on the issue of how to foster and maintain competitiveness in a heightened geopolitical and geoeconomic context, whilst taking into account Italian national and European-level regulatory aspects.

                                • Rome
                                  • 14 October 2008
                                   
                                   

                                  Energy security and the national interest

                                    By the year 2030, worldwide energy consumption, spurred by economic development in such highly populated countries as China and India, might well be 50% greater than today’s levels. Fossil fuels will continue to play a key role and hydrocarbons will be called upon to satisfy more than half the world’s demand for energy. The concentration of oil and natural gas reserves in areas of the planet that suffer from political instability complicates the scenario. Many important questions remain on the sustainability front as far as energy supply is concerned.

                                  • Milan
                                    • 10 October 2008
                                     
                                     

                                    The global financial emergency: how to overcome it

                                      The current financial crisis has lasted longer and been more damaging than expected, revealing the extent of market failure. The rule-free market era is over. No longer does anyone believe the “solid” economy – especially real estate – will turn into a “liquid” economy, thanks to deregulation. Widespread digital technology – a fundamental resource in globalization – does not help sell “toxic” shares: uncertainty about their worth only worsens the crisis.

                                    • Rome
                                      • 30 September 2008
                                       
                                       

                                      Religion and politics in the global era

                                        The upshot of this debate was that the church has every right to participate in a public debate, but the state must remain secular. Laws cannot respect only certain citizens’ beliefs, but must hold true for everyone. Therefore, a new balance must be struck between religion and politics, especially on those issues that touch people in the XXI century so closely.

                                      • Cernobbio
                                        • 29 September 2008
                                         
                                         

                                        The Italian health system: sustainability, quality and responsibility

                                          Demographic waves, technological innovation and citizens’ expectations: these are today’s major challenges. And, in the years to come, healthcare will become an increasingly important issue in all major countries with advanced economies and welfare systems. In the Italian system, the healthcare challenge is particularly crucial as it represents the largest public expenditure after pensions. Healthcare and pensions absorb all those resources that could be made available for other social policies.