EurActiv.it : the Italian version of EurActiv launched at Rome conference

During a conference organised yesterday by EurActiv Italia in Rome, Mario Monti, Emma Bonino and Antonio Tajani spoke up to give Italy a stronger voice in a crisis-riven Europe. 

“Italy has a crucial role to play in the EU today”, stated Bocconi University President and former European Commissioner Mario Monti at the conference that also served as the launching pad for EurActiv’s Italian network partner EurActiv.it. “We need more than a simple Monetary Union in order to make the Euro useful”, added Emma Bonino, President of the Italian Senate and also a former European Commissioner. Antonio Tajani, Vice-President of the European Commission in charge of  Industry and Entrepreneurship, called on Europe’s leaders to take the necessary measures to “get out of the EU Euro crisis within 24 months maximum”, during the session on The EU, Italy and Growth. 

“We sacrified part of the 2014/2020 budget resources of the CAP in order to invest more on innovation and research”, Tajani stated in front of Italian business and industry representatives. “Being a setter of industry standards in the world is a big value for Europe”, aknowledged Monti. He added during this debate that lack of growth impedes social progress and triggers negative ratings in the financial markets. 

Emma Bonino called for a more radical approach to tackle the crisis, proposing a ‘light federal union’. “We have to make defence, foreign policy, research, innovation, infrastructure and finance the central policies of the EU”, she said, in effect calling for new and deeper EU Treaty negotiations.

Mario Monti was more cautious: “Thinking to change the European treaties right now is very dangerous. We have to wait in my opinion” he replied to her comments. “Italians and Greeks are endorsing the establishment of Eurobonds, but we also have to consider the German interests.” And he added, “we should use less the term solidarity, more enlightened self-interest” before stating firmly: “Decisions taken as a community work, others don't.” We may not yet see it that way, but “the Greek crisis will be remembered as a triumph of the Euro culture”, he concluded.  

Background

The conference “Diamo voce all’Italia in Europa – Give Italy a voice in Europe” (online programme) was organised by EurActiv.it in collaboration with the Italian think tank Instituto Affari Internazionali (IAI). It hosted over 200 high-level participants from the worlds of politics, business and academics in Italy. It also drew over 30 TV, radio, newspaper and online journalists. The debate was covered, amongst others, in the Corriere della Sera, Milano Finanza, Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor, Wall Street Italia and ANSA, the Italian news agency.

EurActiv.it is part of EurActiv’s 15-country and 15-language media network. EurActiv, the European Media Network, also established syndication partnerships in Croatia, Montenegro and Iceland earlier this year.

Media contacts:

Andrea Gallo, Editor, EurActiv.it  +39 0683 398 803, a.gallo@euractiv.it

Dominique Ostyn, Senior Manager Communication & New Media, EurActiv.com, +32(0)2.788.36.88, communication@euractiv.com 

Daniela Vincenti, Managing Editor, EurActiv.com, +32 2 788 36 69, daniela.mitchener@euractiv.com  

Christophe Leclercq, Publisher, EurActiv.com, +32(0)2.226.58.13, publisher@euractiv.com

Note to the editor:   

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