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      • Rome
        • 15 September 2005
         
         

        Ageing in Europe: turning weakness into strength

          Italy is the oldest country in Europe: two Italians out of ten are over 65; life expectancy is high and the birth rate is low; the pension system is particularly burdensome as many Italian workers retire earlier than their OECD counterparts – though productivity remains comparable since the older the worker, generally, the higher the salary. The country’s public debt is increasing while productivity is going down: Italy needs to modify its Welfare State. The contractual model demands tweaking so as to directly link salaries with productivity and to keep older workers on the job.

        • Rome
          • 20 July 2005
           
           

          Relaunching tourism: analysis, tools, projects

            Italy, thanks to the wealth of its artistic, cultural and natural heritage, has always been a leader in the tourism sector. Today, however, this is no longer enough: Italy’s tourism sector is suffering a crisis and in order to overcome it, precise and timely political and industrial strategies are called for. What is the product to be sold? What tools are needed to sell it? Italy will lead the competition only where “Made in Italy” still holds meaning and value. The sector should focus on high professionality, multidimensional growth and innovation.

          • Rome
            • 13 July 2005
             
             

            Religious and agnostic: tomorrow’s values

              This roundtable focussed on the terminology behind the conflict between believers and non-believers. In Italy, France, and Germany, the debate has taken on a particular fervor of late: just think of the depth of sentiment that emerged over whether girls could or could not wear the chador in public schools in France, or the debate that raged over referenda proposed in Italy to allow stem cell research and artificial insemination. Participants agreed that a common field of research and areas of commitment must be defined.

            • Florence
              • 8 July 2005
               
               

              The West, the BRICs and the rest: a global agenda for the transatlantic economy

                The Aspen Dialogue on World Economy, each year, reflects on prevalent trends both in the medium and long term. In 2005, the conference took place just one day after the tragic terrorist attacks in London. Participants, thus, focussed on the pressures weighing down on Western economies both from the uncertainties and insecurities inspired by renewed violent international terrorism, and from the emergence of important new players on the international scene (specifically China, India, Russia and Brazil).

              • Milan
                • 27 June 2005
                 
                 

                Video content in the global contest among different platforms

                  This roundtable focused on the irreversible process of convergence between television and telecommunications. In the near future, in fact, ADSL lines and IP protocol TV will offer TLC operators a complete video experience. At the same time, for television, going digital has meant forging a tighter relationship with the end user – providing services demanded by those who actually watch TV; spectators can personalize their viewing options and the different functions of network operators, content providers and the service industry have been separated.

                • Rome
                  • 21 June 2005
                   
                   

                  Cities of the future: events, services, technology

                    This conference focused on the demands faced by the future city. Big cities will have to attract, involve and assimilate ever greater numbers of people, who, in turn, will be seeking ever greater efficiency without sacrificing beauty and cultural identity. In an increasingly multicultural environment, cities are searching for new tools to render diverse elements compatible: smooth production processes, pleasing aesthetics and social cohesion. The also have to succeed in attracting tourism and then to manage it in a sustainable fashion.

                  • Rome
                    • 9 June 2005
                     
                     

                    Italian business and the labor market

                      This conference focussed on relaunching Italy’s economy in terms of productivity, training and flexibility. The debate revolved around the following issues: those measures best suited to making the system more competitive, new policies to improve human resources, the means to better integrate immigrants and women in the working population, proposals to lower labor costs and to increase flexibility in the labor market, the welfare state, and labor protection laws.

                    • Rome
                      • 7 June 2005
                       
                       

                      Luncheon in honor of Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica

                        On June 7, at the Rome offices of Aspen Institute Italia, a luncheon was held in honor of the Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Koštunica, who was on an official visit to Italy together with a delegation including Pedrag Bubalo, Minister of Economy and Privatization, Velimir Ilić, Minister for Investment, and Milan Parivodić, Minister for International Economic Relations.

                      • Rome
                        • 27 May 2005
                         
                         

                        Africa: our common interest

                          The International Workshop “Africa: our common interest” was organized at the Rome City Hall to present the Commission for Africa Report. British prime minister Tony Blair made a special appearance at the event, and was welcomed by Italy’s deputy prime minister (and Chairman of Aspen Italia) Giulio Tremonti.

                        • Rome
                          • 24 May 2005
                           
                           

                          The role of logistics for Italy’s competitiveness

                            This roundtable highlighted the need to redesign Italy’s infrastructure network in a fashion that is coherent with demand. Lower-cost projects that offer an immediate return on investment are of particular importance. Strategic priority should be given to ports and to train tunnels in order to facilitate the flow of commerce from the Far East.

                          • Rome
                            • 19 May 2005
                             
                             

                            The leadership in Italy: an analysis in the international context

                              Aspen Institute Italia, with a seminar entitled “The leadership in Italy: an analysis in the international context”, launched a new project on leadership. Many Aspen Junior Fellows participated in the event, together with authoritative figures from Italy and abroad. The results of a survey undertaken by the Carlo Cattaneo University of Castellanza and the Bocconi University in Milan of 103 Italian business leaders and an equal number of executives from the public sector were presented on this occasion.

                            • Milan
                              • 16 May 2005
                               
                               

                              The role of Italy’s culture in globalization

                                The spring meeting of the Friends of Aspen was held in the Milan theater “Il Piccolo di Milano – Teatro Strehler” this year. The prestige of the location suited the high level of cultural debate: The role of Italy’s culture in globalization. As usual during this annual meeting, new members were presented to the group. Participants also discussed a series of issues from which to choose the topic of the annual conference, to be held in November this year.

                              • Rome
                                • 11 May 2005
                                 
                                 

                                Basel II and IAS (International Accounting Standard): the “new double entry” for banks and business

                                  Participants discussed risks and opportunities springing from the new international accounting standards. They considered, in particular, consequences on budgets, net assets, and aggregation processes. They also reflected on difficulties the new system will cause for businesses and how businesspeople are preparing. The conference ended with a discussion of the new relationship between banks and businesses that the Basel 2 Accord will soon create, and of how the Accord’s credit risk innovations will condition that relationship.

                                • Rome
                                  • 4 May 2005
                                   
                                   

                                  The attractiveness of Italy’s economic model

                                    The roundtable discussion focused on the means and mechanisms to improve the attractiveness of the Italian economy. The roundtable participants voiced their disagreement with views that the country’s economic health is “in decline”, noting that such assessments are fueled by the presence within the country of areas with structural difficulties in adapting to international competition and the tendency towards making generalizations without taking into account territorial specificities and the existence of points of excellence.

                                  • Rome
                                    • 29 April 2005
                                     
                                     

                                    The Balkans in Europe’s future

                                      From the international workshop organized by Aspen Institute Italia at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs emerged a proposal to draw up a “road map for the Balkans”. Participants met before an ample audience to discuss the “The Balkans in Europe’s future” and to consider strategies to help integrate southeastern Europe into the EU and other international organizations. The Balkans are relatively stable, military conflict has ceased, ethnic cleansing is a thing of the past, and free elections have been held.

                                    • Rome
                                      • 6 April 2005
                                       
                                       

                                      Telecommunications, content, broadcasting: services and markets

                                        This roundtable focused on problems presented by rapid development in the telecommunications sector and prospects for growth. The diverse platforms, each with their special characteristics and peculiarities, provide the customer with a variety of choices and services, in accordance with their particular needs. In order to compete, businesses must present their products in original ways as well as satisfy the customer’s demand for an interactive and personalized product.

                                      • Rome
                                        • 16 March 2005
                                         
                                         

                                        Free trade and competitiveness

                                          Freeing up markets entails a variety of phenomena: opening up to competition, increasing efficiency, offering greater choice to the consumer and improving access to capital markets for businesses. Discussion here involved all players. First participants focused on the government, and the Authorities that supervise competition and liberalization. Then they turned to Italy’s system of businesses and financial intermediaries that are led to look for new market and to rationalize their own productive processes.

                                        • Rome
                                          • 11 March 2005
                                           
                                           

                                          China’s challenge to Europe and the U.S.

                                            This meeting, organized as an informal discussion among a small number of European and American experts, focussed in particular on the problem of the EU embargo on arms sales to China, in the broader context of economic and security challenges currently presented by the rapidly growing economic and demographic giant. Of the various issues that emerged, two regarding domestic policy stand out: political reforms and human rights, crucial criteria in evaluating Beijing’s progress since Tienanmen in 1989 – which gave birth to the embargo in the first place.