The 100th issue of Aspenia took a multifaceted look at Italy, starting with Italians as citizen-voters, individuals and groups, producers and consumers, analyzing then the Leggi tutto »We Italians. Italy according to Aspenia
The staffs of politicians have gone through a series of phases from 1861 up to the present day. From the Unification of Italy to the end of the Second World War, their primary feature was fragmentation and disjointedness; a scarcity of responsibilities excluded political and para-political involvement, limiting them to generic support for their assigned ministers, even as regards personal affairs.
At one year from the start of the Ukraine war, which has upended an energy sector already struggling under the pressure of the post-Covid recovery, Europe finds itself faced with a “trilemma”.
The Procurement Code is an extremely important body of legislation for today’s Italy, especially in light of the efforts required of the country by the Leggi tutto »Italy’s New Procurement Code
The changes underway in the automotive sector today are almost unique to that industry, in that they originate externally.
The war in Ukraine represents a major point of discontinuity in prospects for a future international power balance teetering between the order ensured by a system of shared rules and a scenario of disorder marked by a tense democracy/autocracy standoff.
The war Russia has unleashed on Ukraine is having a global effect, especially in the energy sector and on the economy more generally, in what was already a considerably unstable global environment. Despite the fragmentation or regionalization of some phenomena now underway, globalization continues to be a fundamental reality for today’s world, in terms both of trade interdependence and, even more critically, of financial connections – sectors where the West clearly remains predominant.
The Covid-19 pandemic has left a deep and irreversible mark on the lives of entire populations across the planet and had serious and lasting economic Leggi tutto »Towards global health: lessons from the pandemic
The international financial system is in the throes of deep change as a result of the war in Ukraine – and not only. Upheaval is destined to continue. The dollar, reserve currency par excellence, will gain strength, while the euro, despite its aspirations to become the second global reserve currency, still has a long road ahead of it; and the difficult international situation will only contribute to widening the divide between the two.
Taxation is not only one of the pillars of modern democracy, but can also be a significant resource for development. This is even truer in our current post-pandemic phase, when governments are being called upon to undertake some major transformational processes.
The euro is celebrating its first twenty years as a success but also in the awareness that much remains to be done. The overwhelming majority of European citizens consider the single currency a part of their identity and view it favorably; surely, the introduction of the euro simplified economic and commercial activities. Yet, not to be underestimated is the problem it created, particularly for a country like Italy, by eliminating the possibility of using exchange rates as a competitive devaluation tool.
As acknowledged during the recent Italy-led G20, the empowerment of women is an international issue of undeniable importance. Making the transition from awareness to profound changes in rules and practices requires the creation of global networks at political, diplomatic and governmental levels – in other words, in all decision-making processes.
The current situation in Russia raises a highly important question with regard to peace and security in Europe and, in a broader sense, the very Leggi tutto »Transatlantic Forum on Russia
The September 26 German elections could not but be influenced by the figure of Angela Merkel. Her principal legacy is probably to have been a master crisis manager and a pillar of political stability, but she has not staked her career on promoting a truly comprehensive and ambitious vision for Europe. Even regarding the pursuit of German national interests, an overall assessment of her profile as a leader must take into account several missed opportunities for renewal and perhaps even excessive prudence.
The world economy has started down the right path to achieving the environmental goals set by the EU and those underwritten in Paris in 2015, but still lags behind in terms of deadlines. European efforts must, in any case, be viewed within the broader global context, since all the data point to Asia – headed up by China, but not exclusively – as the worst offender in terms of harmful emissions. This is especially due to the use of carbon in this phase of post-pandemic economic recovery. Asia remains the principal problem even considering the combined American and European contribution.
The COP26 offers a crucial window of opportunity in the struggle against climate change. After the G20 in Naples, the Glasgow conference under the Italian and British presidency will be a moment for the world’s most prominent economies to scrutinize fulfillment of the 2015 Paris Accord pledges and discuss future steps.
Country system appeal has always been an issue for Italy, the recipient of between 2% and 3% of all direct foreign investments in Europe and the twelfth-ranked nation on the continent. The difficulty in attracting investments is paramount among the concerns to be addressed in ensuring support for and the development of the country’s fabric of small and medium-sized enterprises. Yet, the country presents a marked dualism, not only between north and south, but also between levels of competitiveness and productivity.
The Made in Italy brand and its propensity for exportation has always been an essential component of the Italian economy, playing a crucial role in the development and growth of the national entrepreneurial fabric. Exports continue to be a driver of the economy’s competitiveness thanks to progress that is predicted to surpass 11% in 2021, with prospects over the next three years of maintaining a pace beyond that of the pre-pandemic period.
