Italy and France: working together to tackle Europe's major challenges
Italy and France: working together to tackle Europe's major challenges
Rome, June 13, 2023 – Italy and France: Together to Address Europe ’s Major Challenges. This is the title of the meeting for the sixth edition of the Italo-French Dialogues for Europe, an initiative launched in 2018 by Sciences Po and Luiss Guido Carli in collaboration with The European House – Ambrosetti . The event took place today on the campus of the Free International University of Social Studies, under the High Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella, and the President of the French Republic, Emmanuel Macron.
“The Italo-French Dialogues are a key opportunity for discussion on the upcoming challenges the European Union will face, especially considering the profound changes that will affect the socio-economic aspects of both countries and Europe as a whole. “This is an opportunity to strengthen the bond between two of the European Union’s founding countries, which are called upon to lead this fundamental change,” said Paola Severino, Vice President of Luiss Guido Carli. “Luiss and Sciences Po are at the forefront, contributing to this process of strengthening economic, diplomatic, and cultural exchanges between Italy and France. This starts with the programs that each year enable thousands of young people to travel and study abroad, fostering the values of integration, culture, and European citizenship. But together, we've already achieved much more, as the Quirinal Treaty cites our Dialogues as an example of cooperation policies between our countries. Securing the High Patronage of the Presidents of Italy and France this year adds another reason for pride for those of us who have embarked on this project and have always believed in it. Finally, starting this year, thanks to funding from BNL-BNP, an Italian-French university teaching chair will be established, reflecting the strength of the cultural bridge we’ve launched.”
“The Italo-French Dialogues are central to Sciences Po’s ambition—an international university open to the world—to make Europe a priority in its teaching and research. Italy is a country with which our institution enjoys a special relationship. In fact, we have just created a dual degree program with Luiss. Sciences Po now offers five joint degrees and has a dozen partnerships with leading Italian universities,”said Mathias Vicherat, Director of Sciences Po. “This year, our school welcomed 535 Italian students, making them one of the most represented nationalities. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to our partners at Luiss and The European House - Ambrosetti for their hospitality, as well as to all participants in this sixth edition of the Italo-French Dialogues for Europe.”
“Since their inception in 2018, the Italo-French Dialogues for Europe have established their central role as a high-level, open platform for discussion between French and Italian leaders. Through their regular meetings, they address priority issues for business, the economy, and more broadly for the future of Europe and the next generation, outlining strategies and proposals to further strengthen relations between Italy and France. The central role of the Dialogues in relations between the two countries is also evidenced by their mention in the “Franco-Italian Work Program” attached to the Quirinal Treaty. This recognition specifically acknowledges the Dialogues’ role in fostering debate on European public policies and promoting their social acceptance,”stated Emanuela D’Alessandro, Ambassador of the Italian Republic to France.
“France and Italy are well aware of their common interests and the areas of agreement that shape their initiatives and a shared vision within the European context. In this spirit, the Quirinal Treaty, signed in November 2021, stands as an irreplaceable model for constructive and fruitful dialogue within the European Union,”stated Christian Masset, Ambassador of the French Republic to Italy.
The Italo-French Dialogues for Europe initiative once again brought issues and key figures from both countries to the forefront of the debate today.
Vincenzo Boccia (President of Luiss), Andrea Prencipe (Rector of Luiss), Emanuela D'Alessandro (Ambassador of the Italian Republic to France), and Christian Masset (Ambassador of the French Republic to Italy) introduced the proceedings, which were moderated by Maria Latella.
Numerous topics were covered, and many prominent figures spoke.
In the first panel, which focused on Europe's major challenges, Veronica De Romanis (Professor of European Economic Policy, Stanford University Florence; Luiss) and Arancha González Laya (Dean, Paris School of International Affairs, Sciences Po) engaged in a discussion. The second panel, focusing on bilateral trade for a more competitive Europe, featured speakers Giuseppina Di Foggia (CEO, Terna), Valerio De Molli (Managing Partner & CEO, The European House - Ambrosetti), and Xavier Ragot (President, Observatoire Français des Conjonctures Economiques – OFCE).
During the event, IPSOS Italia presented its survey “Two Countries in the Mirror: France-Italy,” conducted with the support of Edison, which explored the views of French and Italian citizens on economic, energy, and political issues. Nando Pagnoncelli (President, IPSOS Italia) and Marc Lazar (Professor Emeritus, Sciences Po; holder of the BNL-BNP Paribas Chair “French and Italian Relations in Europe”, Luiss) commented on the survey. This was followed by a roundtable discussion with Nicola Monti (CEO, Edison), Stefano Buono (CEO, Newcleo), and Renato Ravanelli (CEO, F2i).
<p class="MsoBodyText"> “The survey, now in its fifth edition, has confirmed that French citizens express more positive attitudes toward Italians, although Italians’ views of the French have improved significantly. Public opinion in both countries is reacting similarly to the so-called polycrises (COVID, inflation, the conflict in Ukraine, and the energy crisis). Italians, however, are showing higher expectations regarding the energy transition and greater openness to renewable energy sources, energy communities, and the purchase of electric vehicles. “Opportunities for collaboration between the two countries are warmly welcomed by citizens, which is precisely why it's essential to effectively communicate joint projects and the mutual benefits,” stated Nando Pagnoncelli, President of IPSOS Italia.
“Since 2019, we’ve been supporting the Italo-French Dialogues for Europe, gaining valuable insights into the most pressing issues affecting bilateral relations,” says Nicola Monti, Edison’s CEO. This year, about half of the participants in the Ipsos survey identified investment in renewables and the energy transition as a priority, along with a commitment to diversifying supply sources. Edison is committed to this with a concrete investment plan of 10 billion euros through 2030 to decarbonize the country. We believe this issue should be addressed with a focus on technological neutrality, recognizing that the goal of decarbonization cannot be achieved solely through renewables. We need a complementary technology, which could be nuclear power. It's already available today and can ensure grid stability and system security, while also offering significant opportunities for scientific and technological collaboration between Italy and France.”
Two panel discussions followed: the first on security in Europe (space, defense, and technology), featuring Enzo Benigni (President and CEO, Elettronica), Stéphane Israël (CEO, Arianespace), and Stefano Pontecorvo (President, Leonardo); and the second on mobility as a bridge between countries, with Vincenzo Nunziata (President, Aeroporti di Roma – ADR), Eléonore Tramus (General Manager, Air France-KLM East Mediterranean), and Maurizio Bufalino (Deputy Director for Italy, Tunnel Euralpin Lyon Turin – TELT).
The event concluded with video messages and/or video links from Paolo Gentiloni, European Commissioner for the Economy (via video link), Gilberto Pichetto Fratin (Minister of the Environment and Energy Security of the Italian Republic), and Bruno Le Maire (Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Industrial and Digital Sovereignty of the French Republic). Paola Severino (Vice President of Luiss) and Mathias Vicherat (Director of Sciences Po) were tasked with delivering the closing remarks.
The Italo-French Dialogues for Europe are made possible thanks to contributions from BNL BNP Paribas, TIM, Arianespace, Edison, TELT, and Air France.
Appendix | IPSOS Italia survey , “Two countries in the mirror: France-Italy”
The survey reveals that Italians have a more negative perception than the French regarding relations between the two countries: in fact, 54% of Italians consider relations between Italy and France to be fairly positive or very positive, compared to 74% of the French. Upon further exploration of the topic, specifically regarding the level of relations between the two countries at the governmental level, it was found that 33% of Italians perceive the relationship between the two governments as fairly or very negative, compared to 24% of French respondents. The situation improves when the focus shifts to relations between companies, where 15% of Italians view them as negative, compared to 8% of French respondents. Finally, when it comes to relations between citizens, perceptions differ greatly between the two countries: 26% of Italians say relations between the two countries are fairly or very negative, compared to 9% of French people.
The prevailing sentiment toward the other country differs greatly: Italians are mostly indifferent at 52%, while sympathy dominates among the French at 78%.
When it comes to companies, the picture is quite fragmented, and a certain gap remains between the two countries. Generally, the French have a more positive view: only 8% see the relationship between companies as contentious, compared to 19% of Italians, and as many as 32% of the French consider it collaborative, compared to 25%.
Some differences also emerge regarding knowledge of the Quirinal Treaty, a cooperation agreement between the two countries signed in November 2021: 69% of French respondents say they are not familiar with it, compared to 46%. Opinion regarding the Treaty is similar between the two countries: the vast majority consider it positive or very positive.
The second part of the survey focused on the multi-faceted crisis: inflation, COVID, war, and energy. When it comes to inflation, Italians and French people share fairly similar views: 55% of Italians and 57% of French people say their families struggle to make ends meet (with 12% experiencing extreme difficulty), and 83% of both Italians and French people are very or somewhat concerned about the level of inflation. Virtually the same percentage (76% of Italians vs. 78% of French people) believe that the current rise in prices is linked to the energy crisis. Regarding COVID, the two groups are in line: 36% of Italians said they are very or somewhat concerned, compared to 29% of French respondents. Furthermore, 74% of Italians and 69% of French respondents believe the worst is behind them. When it comes to the war, the two countries show different levels of concern: 80% of Italians are very or somewhat concerned, compared to 68% of French people. However, Italians and French people are in agreement about the most concerning issues: economic concerns come first (45% for Italians and 40% for French people), followed by war (28% for Italians and 29% for French people), and humanitarian issues in third place (18% for Italians and 19% for French people).
<p > Energy was another key topic in the survey. Opinions on the use of renewable energy by the two countries seem to be in line: 67% of Italians and 63% of French people think that both countries have renewable sources but make little or no use of them. The concept of energy transition is known or fairly well known to 65% of the population in both countries. Compared to 2021, perceptions of the energy transition have changed in both countries: 46% of Italians (compared to 58% in 2021) see it as an opportunity for growth and development, compared to 31% of French people (compared to 38% in 2021). Opinions are also fairly aligned regarding how the two countries are managing the energy transition process: 39% of Italians think it is being managed worse or much worse than in other countries, compared to 29% of French people. Regarding nuclear power, 44% of Italians support building or expanding nuclear power plants in their country, compared to 59% in France. Regarding measures to tackle the energy crisis, both countries agree that the primary solution would be to invest in renewable energy sources. Opinions are largely similar regarding the government’s commitment to energy, as well as the efforts of local administrations.