On 7 and 8 October 2024, alumni of the Spinelli Forum and participants in the Génération Europe exchange programme met in Rome to deepen trilateral cooperation between Germany, Italy and France. The event, organised by the German Embassy, dealt with key European policy issues.
Programme highlights
After a reception on the evening of 7 October, a full-day workshop took place on 8 October. The participants worked in three groups:
Economy and infrastructure: This group focused on the three countries' capacity for innovation, the modernisation of digital and physical infrastructure and sustainable economic activity.
Digitalisation and society: Main discussion points were the social and economic impact of the digital transformation, the digital divide, cybersecurity and the growing importance of the gig economy.
Climate and energy: In addition to the EU's climate targets and the challenge of becoming climate-neutral by 2050, the Green Deal and sustainable economic growth were discussed here in particular.
Results and next steps
After analysing the problems and identifying the common interests of the three countries, the working groups developed initial ideas for trilateral initiatives, which were presented in a final plenary session. These ideas will now be further elaborated before being presented to the foreign ministries of Germany, Italy and France.
Strengthening networks
A reception at Villa Almone on German Unity Day offered participants the opportunity to strengthen existing networks and make new contacts. The Spinelli Forum, initiated by the German Federal Foreign Office and the Italian Foreign Ministry, sponsored by the Institute for European Politics (IEP) and the Istituto per gli Studi di Politica Internazionale (ISPI), remains an important forum for German-Italian relations. Villa Vigoni was also involved in Rome. The Génération Europe programme is supported by the Franco-German Youth Office (DFJW).