Brussels – A regular event and a first at the same time. The 10th edition of “How Do We Govern Europe?”, the conference on European affairs promoted by the Article 49 Foundation, Eunews, and Gea – Green Economy Agency, kicked off, with the Patronage of the European Parliament and Commission, the European Economic and Social Committee, the Conference of Regions, Unioncamere and the Italian Initiative Group.
A regular event, “the flagship event of Eunews,” as its director, Lorenzo Robustelli called it, recalling the first edition in 2013 coinciding with Italy’s six-month presidency of the Council of the European Union. But a first in the European capital, hosted in the residence of the Italian Ambassador to Belgium, Federica Favi. “This residence is increasingly becoming the home of the Made in Italy. Not only of companies but also ideas: today’s conference has precisely the sense of representing the Made in Italy of ideas,” Favi said in opening the event, dedicated this year to “New and Old Challenges for the Renewing EU.”
The ambassador wanted to emphasize “the duty of Italy to reflect on the future of Europe.” Because “we are living in a moment of transition,” but especially because “we are a founding member of the EU,” and “no one can imagine a European Union without Italy as a protagonist. Not only because of its economy but as a great cultural power.” The role as a compass for the EU bloc, according to Favi, is demonstrated by the fact that “as many as two former Italian prime ministers have been called upon to prepare reports on the future of Europe”: Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta, on competitiveness and the European single market, respectively.
Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani, also wanted to emphasize Rome’s authority in Brussels in his greetings sent for the conference. “Italy’s voice is increasingly being heard in Brussels because of the seriousness of its foreign and economic policy choices. We are showing that it is possible to count more and to contribute to change European policies,” Tajani said. Assuring that the Meloni government’s European action “is focused on promoting our national interests.” For the deputy prime minister, “promoting our interest means acting effectively internally as well, first and foremost to put to good use the resources of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan.”
Also Carlo Corazza, director of the Office of the European Parliament in Italy was connected from Rome, where the President of the Eurochamber Roberta Metsola is visiting today. The one of June 9 “will be a political vote, because there will be real choices,” Corazza predicted as he looked ahead to the approaching European election round, starting with the “increasingly sharp contrast between liberal democracies and authoritarian regimes.” And also the issue of enlargement, the double transition, and the revision of the treaties. But the invitation is to win the “most important” challenge: going to the polls, because “participation is the lifeblood of democracy.”
As Director Robustelli wanted to celebrate, Eunews has already won Its challenge: Ten years after its first edition, HGE is now the most important Italian conference on European affairs, involving companies, institutions, and media. “A victory for us, a great communicative and entrepreneurial challenge culminating in becoming part of a more solid reality such as Withub.” And announced “a decisive step”: starting today, Eunews will also be available to everyone with an English language version.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
