Despite shared objectives and mutual benefits, German-Italian cooperation faces challenges in navigating national interests, bureaucratic hurdles, and differing policy priorities. Achieving alignment on complex issues such as energy transition, migration, defense policy, and technological innovation requires sustained dialogue and compromise between the two countries. Moreover, adapting to evolving geopolitical dynamics and external pressures further complicates cooperation. Nevertheless, the commitment to finding common ground and leveraging each other's strengths remains essential for fostering a resilient and prosperous partnership.
The Alumni Conference of the 2024 Spinelli Forum in Milan was another step in the collaborative efforts between Germany and Italy. This year's forum builds upon the recent German-Italian Action Plan for strategic cooperation, which envisages comprehensive collaboration in various fields.
The Alumni participants of this year’s edition began developing recommendations in four different policy areas: Growth and Competitiveness, Green Deal and Energy Transition, Defense and Security, and Innovation and Technology. The discussions encompassed critical topics such as strategies to address the gender gap and promote growth, approaches for a fair energy transition, harmonized EU export controls, different aspects of artificial intelligence, funding for technologies, and innovation in the public sector. The developed ideas now serve as a basis for further collaboration. Over the next months, three online workshops are scheduled where participants will refine and present their recommendations. The final workshop will focus on consolidating the Spinelli Alumni Network.
The Spinelli Forum was initiated by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and hosted by the Institut für Europäische Politik (IEP) and the Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI).
Team & authors
Share publication
