Not just a flash in the pan, but a medium to long term boon: the post-pandemic recovery could be described in terms of strategic factors such as economic, social, environmental and institutional sustainability. In other words, the basic points of the European Commission’s 2030 agenda, which the Italian government has taken as the basis for its National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Relations between the European Union and Russia have been turbulent lately, and there are currently no signs of that letting up, if not in terms of specific and limited pragmatic expectations. The two parties agree substantially on the assumption that dialogue is the preferable tack in diplomatic relations, even in the presence of deep differences of opinion and interests. Not even a summit is to be viewed as a reward or concession, yet can be useful as an occasion for frank discussion of the thornier issues.
The Covid-19 pandemic has triggered economic, political, social and cultural turmoil across the globe. A crisis unlike any that has occurred in a very long time that proving that health is an integral part of the foundation of a society and its economy. Nevertheless, the response to the pandemic as not been rapid and it is going to be necessary to adjust some previously applied mechanism.
The Covid-19 pandemic has ramped up the pressure on healthcare systems around the world, burdening already limited resources and existing capabilities. In order to ensure the quality and efficiency of services for all, healthcare systems need to build and improve their ability to be prepared for crises, while at the same time enhancing their essential primary functions. The discussion touched on the crucial aspects to be considered in making systems more efficient by reinforcing prevention.
The national and regional rules applied during the pandemic and the subsequent economic and financial downturn are fragmenting the global economy, reducing transparency and fueling injustice. In an effort to buck this trend, it would seem opportune to discuss the need for establishing a series of global legal standards.
The international landscape, for both Europe and for Italy, has changed significantly since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, pushing migration issues even more sharply to the fore. The movement of persons has not ceased and migratory flows toward Europe remain considerable, albeit asymmetrical. An example is how movement toward Greece has diminished while Italy is seeing an approximately three-fold increase, mainly from Tunisia and Libya.
What is waning more in the West, civility or democracy? There has been talk for a century now of Western “decline”, understood as demographic and economic, but also the decline of fundamental values such as freedom, democracy and openness. Interpretations have gone so far as to speak of a broad decline in moral values. It can be seen as the beginning of a different perception of the world’s diversities.
Southern Italy needs a new vision for the future built on consideration of its system strongpoints and on a deeper scrutiny of its problems, with a view to identifying alternative proposals focused on the competitive capacity of those regions, with the goal of improving the business environment.
The pandemic has caught the United States at a delicate pre-electoral moment. The incumbent president is counting heavily on solid and sustained economic growth, while the Democratic Party is offering an alternative at least partly founded on a larger government role in income distribution and in providing essential services – including healthcare.
The world is in the midst of an unprecedented health and economic crisis, and there seems to be a vacuum in global leadership (certainly of US leadership). No single country can offer an effective recipe for resolution. The EU, at least, has recently demonstrated the ability to come together and agree on a large economic support package, but there remains a need for coordination at an even broader level. This, in turn, may require a consensus on common standards, from fair trade to scientific cooperation to specific health issues.
Aspen Institute Italia hosted a conversation on the results of the 17-21 July European Council between Minister Amendola and Giulio Tremonti, during which they discussed topics of major interest in the casual “off the record” style typical of the encounters organized by the Institute.
As the deadline approaches for the UK government to decide on whether they will ask for an extension to Brexit negotiations, the discussion of the future of EU relations couldn’t be more crucial. In this episode, Marta Dassù, Senior Advisor for European Affairs at the Aspen Institute Italia and the former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Italy, moderates a conversation between Anthony Gardner, former US Ambassador to the EU and Ambassador João Vale de Almeida, EU Ambassador to the UK and former EU Ambassador to the UN.
The dialogue between the EU and Russia has practically come to a halt over the past few years, for various reasons. Official EU policy includes the concept of “selective engagement”, which now presents an opportunity in light of relevant common interests in the context of the growing US-China clash. All EU members and Russia favour a continuation of the multilateral system in key areas, such as international trade and technological cooperation – the latter having become a precondition for effective policies in almost any sector.
The main challenge associated with the spread of Covid-19 into the autumn/winter is going to be healthcare facilities’ ability to diagnose and treat a growing number of virus cases (as per all predictions) and distinguish them from seasonal flu. While Covid countermeasures will surely contribute significantly to reducing the incidence of regular flu, the annual illness will in any case continue to deplete healthcare resources.
Almost without exception, the polls point to a situation differs structurally when compared with 2016 – despite the statements of both electoral campaign, and precisely in relation to the reliability of predictions, aimed at mobilizing their respective supporters.
The majority of pollsters assign a probability of no more than 20% to a Trump victory in the Electoral College, which is the real determining factor in who becomes President, regardless of the popular vote. While Biden winning by a slim margin is realistic, a bigger win seems more probable at the present moment.
The European Union is confronting a series of long-term structural challenges that, nevertheless, require the immediate implementation of high impact, broad-spectrum policies. An initial issue is climate change, naturally a planet-wide concern for which Europe has already set goals, such as carbon neutrality within 2050 (which will obviously have direct effects on the energy sector).
The crises of 2008 and 2011 had a greater impact on Umbria than they did on other parts of Italy and Europe. Conditions had already begun to deteriorate in the early 2000s, creating a division between Umbria, a region with a great manufacturing tradition, and the wealthier parts of the country. The study presented at the conference cited microeconomic data about the origins of the crisis and highlighted a sharp polarization of companies’ competitiveness.
The empowerment of women calls for a combination of measures capable of invoking the Sustainable Development Goals and their social, economic and environmental dimension; and in equal measure the financial dimension, which is gaining growing importance in this contemporary world and where women are under-represented. What is needed are policies and actions aimed at a sustainable finance sector that sees women as essential players in economic growth and, even more importantly, in all aspects that regard inclusion.
