Competitiveness and cohesion for a pragmatic Europeanism

In the conversation with Bernhard Scholz that followed his speech at the Rimini Meeting, Mario Draghi described his Europeanism as "very pragmatic" and "very down-to-earth". He also recalled that intermediate bodies are "an extraordinary tool" for the advancement of the European project, because "by their very vocation, they bring the institutions and their decisions closer to the people": a role that is all the more precious in the case of an institution that is still a long way off like the European Union.

The two concepts - pragmatic Europeanism and the role of intermediate bodies - reminded me of a famous passage from the Schuman Declaration: 'Europe cannot be made all at once, nor will it be built all at once; it will arise from concrete realisations that first create de facto solidarity'.

It is therefore also up to the intermediate bodies to take up Draghi's final appeal to transform 'scepticism' into 'action'. Starting from the contribution on major projects on energy and technological transitions, to the topic of the European budget for 2028-2034, with the complicated balance between competitiveness and solidarity, also in the light of a renewed cohesion policy. Of course, the partnership of territories and economic and social forces must be kept vital, also because, always using Draghi's words, "the European Union is above all a mechanism for achieving the goals shared by its citizens".

Let us also not forget the impact of new security and defence expenditure commitments on the budgets of EU Member States and, in this context, the risks to the resilience of European welfare.

On the eve of the Meeting, Giorgio Vittadini, president of the Foundation for Subsidiarity, pointed this out in one of his articles, noting: 'for a defence of universalist welfare, at least in the short term, intermediate bodies and non-profit realities can be decisive, which are also fundamental in guaranteeing social cohesion together with public bodies'.