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Europe

  • Milan
    • 5 June 2012
     
     

    Making hard choices: economic and political challenges for Europe

      This encounter with Professor Guido Tabellini, Rector and Full Professor of Economics at the Luigi Bocconi University, gave the Aspen Junior Fellows an in-depth look at today’s issues. Twenty years after Maastricht, Europe’s economic and financial scenario has changed radically. The outlines of European unity were born of an optimistic forecast of the ability to govern a monetary – albeit not yet political or fiscal – union in the context of growing financial integration.

    • Berlin
      • 28 September 2012
       
       

      The Eurozone’s path: the Union between reality and aspiration

        The current financial crisis has thrown into sharp relief the close links that exist between monetary policy, the banking sector, sovereign debt, and serious imbalances within the Eurozone. The vehemence and longevity of the crisis have called into question the very political structure of the European Union as well as its institutional architecture, both in need of modification through a more rigorous application of existing rules, but also by means of the assignment of new responsibilities and the creation of new mechanisms.

      • Rome
        • 9 November 2012
         
         

        The future of Europe: creating and distributing new values, beating the crisis

          As Altiero Spinelli once observed: “Europe will not fall from the sky”, but rather needs to be built from the ground up with the involvement of everyone. These words served as the opening premise for discussions at this Aspen Junior Fellows Conference on the new challenges that will shape the cohesion and future of the European Union. On one hand, the Conference set out to address the question of the kind of new models that could guarantee prosperity and employment for all Europeans by mitigating the widening imbalances between generations.

        • Rome
          • 5 July 2012
           
           

          The European paradox

            The “European paradox” lies first and foremost in the great potential of the eurozone and the EU as an integrated economic bloc, which remains undeniable despite the serious difficulties of the past few months, and the concerns with the future solidity of the single currency: we are practically witnessing the crisis (hopefully a temporary crisis) of a giant on the global scene.

          • Venice
            • 26 October 2012
             
             

            Reshaping Europe: political, economic and social challenges

              Europe is at a crossroads. The Old World today is facing crucial challenges for its very survival as a political and economic unit. The task is not simple. It is a matter of defining a new economic, political and institutional architecture capable of ensuring its ability to compete with other economic and political systems at the global level.

            • Florence
              • 18 November 2011
               
               

              The post growth West? The debt crisis and the shift to new drivers

                Three major issues stand out in the list of challenges currently facing the Western world: (1) medium-term trends in the global economy, with special focus on new sources of growth, rebalancing and decoupling; (2) the European debt crisis, its outlook and possible solutions; and (3) green energy as a growth driver.

              • Venice
                • 27 October 2011
                 
                 

                China-Europe-U.S. Trialogue Second meeting

                  The second meeting of the Trialogue series focused on the issues of global economic governance (with special attention to the role of the G20), trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific links in the security field, and instability in the Middle East region with its possible implications.

                • Rome
                  • 4 July 2011
                   
                   

                  Radek Sikorsky at Aspen Institute Italia

                    Radek Sikorsky at Aspen Institute Italia. The Foreign Minister of Poland held an off the record seminar at our Institute. The debate focused on the principle themes of European foreign policy and Poland’s priorities for the EU presidency. Sikorsky is the author of a book on Afghanistan which was recently published also in Italy.

                     

                  • Rome
                    • 26 October 2011
                     
                     

                    Eurobonds: the intricate relations between politics and economics

                      Discussions at this national roundtable session got underway with the observation that the idea of introducing European public debt securities – or so-called Eurobonds – is not a new one: indeed, it dates back to 1993 when Jacques Delors proposed, albeit in embryonic form, the issuance of European bonds to finance investment in European Community infrastructure.

                    • Rome
                      • 10 October 2011
                       
                       

                      China and the European crisis

                        This international roundtable, which saw the participation of a delegation from the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, provided an opportunity to discuss developments in the euro crisis and China’s views regarding the same. The core issue debated regarded the nature of the crisis and the motives behind the speculative attacks against certain countries.

                      • Madrid
                        • 8 July 2010
                         
                         

                        After the crisis: Europe and Latin America

                          Given the current uncertainty over the global economy’s recovery, interest in the prospects of the South American continent, which seems finally able to express its true potential, has increased. All too often the expectations over the EU / Latin American accords have been set too high. Today, the increase in commercial and financial exchange are guided by a bottom-up logic; promising forms of interdependence are emerging in a pragmatic way and are producing concrete benefits.

                        • Milan
                          • 1 February 2010
                           
                           

                          Obama and Europe: close or distant?

                            Discussions at this talk-debate, organized in collaboration with ISPI and TG1, focused on assessing the first year of Obama’s presidency, and examining the economic and financial crisis and the mechanisms developed to overcome it, as well as the relationship between the new US administration and Europe.

                          • Naples
                            • 14 May 2010
                             
                             

                            Pulling through the financial crisis and supporting the real economy

                              The last minute lifeline thrown to Greece to keep it from possible default opened a series of urgent questions on the future of the single currency, Europe as a political entity and, more in general, the relationship between finance and the real economy. The crisis concerned not only the precarious economic and social situation of Greece – which will inevitably have to pass through a period of deep-seated and predictably painful restructuring. It also shed light on the series of actions that should be taken to prevent possible contagion with other European countries.

                            • Naples
                              • 14 May 2010
                               
                               

                              The economics of Energy. From traditional to renewable growth drivers

                                The global economic crisis is reshaping the energy system in a fundamental way, as extraordinary events have occurred in a very short time span. Six issues appear the most crucial in the current context: i) the discovery of shale gas, a transformational event which was also a consequence of high natural gas prices. According to a recent account, this discovery could potentially turn the US into a permanent net exporter, with dramatic implications on the market for liquefied natural gas (LNG) which now seeks markets when global demand is contracting.

                              • Milan
                                • 18 October 2010
                                 
                                 

                                Leading in Europe, Leading Europe

                                  The challenges, opportunities and constraints facing future generations is the recurring theme of the Aspen Junior Fellow Breakfasts, examined from an international perspective. In this breakfast debate, it was acknowledged that Europe, despite the level of prosperity, social cohesion and intellectual output it has achieved, is progressively offering fewer opportunities than other geographical areas.

                                • Cernobbio
                                  • 5 November 2010
                                   
                                   

                                  Tangible infrastructure: driving competitiveness

                                    This session focused on the crucial role played by infrastructure in any given country’s economic development. It was observed that an adequate endowment of tangible infrastructure is a necessary prerequisite for competing in the global market, and that boosting infrastructure levels is an undeniable priority both for Italy and for Europe. The question of trans-European infrastructure is especially gaining increasing importance.

                                  • Berlin
                                    • 29 April 2010
                                     
                                     

                                    Europe in the G-20 world

                                      The Conference got underway with a general discussion on a fundamental question: in the new world order, is Europe’s importance destined to wane – no matter what? Leaving aside the impact of major international trends (such as demographic changes), which have reduced the relative influence of the EU in objective terms, the participants pointed to various internal factors as constituting constraints on Europe’s potential. First and foremost of these is the difficulty of reconciling the sovereignty of the various Member States with the authority of Brussels.

                                    • Beijing
                                      • 2 December 2010
                                       
                                       

                                      China, Europe, U.S. Trialogue

                                        Aspen Institute Italia organized the “China, Europe, U.S. Trialogue” jointly with Aspen USA and the Central School of the Communist Party, in cooperation with the Fondazione Italia Cina, on December 2-3 in Beijing.

                                      • Venice
                                        • 22 May 2009
                                         
                                         

                                        New roles for the public and private sectors in the economy and society

                                          In response to the crisis, the State has intervened to rescue banks and financial institutions, to restore confidence in the market, and to guarantee loans and transactions. Within the space of a few weeks, the State in many countries has become the largest shareholder in major banks and insurance companies, resuming the role it had abandoned during the protracted era of privatizations.