{"id":108140,"date":"2026-05-22T14:45:50","date_gmt":"2026-05-22T13:45:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fondazionepirelli.org\/?p=108140"},"modified":"2026-05-22T14:45:50","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T13:45:50","slug":"europes-isolation-and-the-conditions-for-regaining-momentum-on-security-and-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fondazionepirelli.org\/en\/corporate-culture\/blog\/europes-isolation-and-the-conditions-for-regaining-momentum-on-security-and-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Europe\u2019s isolation and the conditions for regaining momentum on security and innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Loneliness does not stem from being alone, but from not being understood\u2019, or, in other words, \u2018from the inability to communicate the things that seem important to us\u2019. <strong>Carl Gustav Jung<\/strong>\u2019s observation comes to mind when rereading Mario Draghi\u2019s words during his speech in Aachen on the occasion of receiving the Charlemagne Prize, one of Europe\u2019s most prestigious awards. And they bear clear witness to the political situation in a Europe that is facing the collapse of the certainties that came with being an integral and secure part of a West built on the foundations of friendship, political and cultural harmony, and ties with the US. \u2018For the first time, we are alone, together\u2019.<br \/>\n\u201cAlone, together\u2019. This apparent oxymoron reveals the full gravity of a situation that touches on the key issues of current European politics: security, energy, new technologies, industrial policy and international relations. And it urgently calls for consistent political decisions.<br \/>\nIn the solitude of his irony, <strong>Oscar Wilde<\/strong> could afford the bitter luxury of declaring that \u2018the only possible company is one\u2019s own\u2019. A human condition that may have its advantages. A political condition, however, that is impossible.<br \/>\n<strong>\u2018Alone, together\u2019<\/strong> also has another meaning worth reflecting upon. The European Union is a home of diversity, where people have long been accustomed to exchange and dialogue. And in a world undergoing such rapid change, diversity ultimately becomes a source of strength to be harnessed.<br \/>\n<strong>Draghi<\/strong> is therefore right when, speaking once again from Aachen, before the throne that once belonged to Charlemagne, he urges Europe to finally take all the necessary steps to avoid being crushed in the vice-like grip of relations between Trump\u2019s US and Xi\u2019s China, both of which are tempted by a new G2 world order, having consigned the G7 and G8 to the dustbin of history.<br \/>\nHis stark warning against isolation is a kind of echo, one imbued with far greater political significance, of that \u2018whatever it takes\u2019 with which, as President of the ECB, he saved the euro and thus the future of the EU economy from one of the most severe crises the single currency has ever faced. Draghi has entrusted this essay, with the bold, explicit title \u2018 Compete or Disappear: Towards a New European Landscape\u2019, to Rizzoli and it will be available in bookshops from the end of May.<br \/>\nThe point is this: we must acknowledge that &#8216;a world that no longer exists is now a thing of the past&#8217; (Marco Zatterin, La Stampa, 17 May). This refers to the world of bipolar equilibrium, the &#8216;NATO umbrella&#8217; and the special Atlantic partnership of democracy, security and business. We must learn to navigate far more treacherous, dangerous and unknown waters.<br \/>\n<strong>Therefore, we must radically overhaul<\/strong> EU governance. This means saying goodbye to the constraints of unanimity and rigid bureaucracy, except on fundamental issues such as rights and freedoms, starting with economic rights and competition, and consequently, the single market that has finally been established. We should consider developing common policies and taking the lead with those countries that are ready to move forward in areas such as defence, technology, scientific research, training and industrial policy. This should start with a culture of &#8216;getting things done and doing them well&#8217;, as well as a high-quality industrial workforce with skills that rank among the best in the world, certainly far more capable than those in the US.<br \/>\nIn short, Europe still has plenty of assets at its disposal with which to reclaim its position as a leading political and economic player. It is simply a matter of deciding to take on that role and moving away from sovereignty-driven policies and populism, as well as investing financial resources. But also those cultural, ethical and civic resources that can help forge a &#8216;European approach&#8217; to <strong>artificial intelligence<\/strong>.<br \/>\nIt is worth emphasising that Europe holds a leading position in these resources, as its history and current cultural landscape confirm. These resources can form a new, solid foundation for the revival of European civilisation and provide a point of reference for internationally significant public discourse and research, including political and social research.<br \/>\nFinancial investment is key. Draghi urges at least <strong>1.2 trillion euros of investment per year<\/strong> over a long period. The euro is a reliable currency and the EU has already proven that it is a trustworthy debtor.<br \/>\nThe timing is not in our favour, however, as it is neither politically nor technologically convenient. However, there are universities, research centres and cutting-edge companies in major European cities whose collaboration in an effective industrial and cultural policy can promote growth, autonomy and, indeed, security.<br \/>\nLoneliness remains a risk. Good politics can provide solutions.<br \/>\nAnother political dimension that can be leveraged is the relationships that the EU can build and strengthen independently of the G2 framework. The Mercosur agreements are a case in point, as are relations with Canada, Japan, South Korea and the Arab world.<br \/>\nIn other words, the only way to resolve a political crisis is to make ambitious political decisions that look to the future. The decline of Europe is by no means inevitable.<\/p><p><em>(photo Getty Images)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u2018Loneliness does not stem from being alone, but from not being understood\u2019, or, in other words, \u2018from the inability to communicate the things that seem important to us\u2019. Carl Gustav Jung\u2019s observation comes to mind when rereading Mario Draghi\u2019s words during his speech in Aachen on the occasion of receiving the Charlemagne Prize, one of [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":108116,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,56],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-108140","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog","category-corporate-culture"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Europe\u2019s isolation and the conditions for regaining momentum on security and innovation - Fondazione Pirelli<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.fondazionepirelli.org\/en\/corporate-culture\/blog\/europes-isolation-and-the-conditions-for-regaining-momentum-on-security-and-innovation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Europe\u2019s isolation and the conditions for regaining momentum on security and innovation - Fondazione Pirelli\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u2018Loneliness does not stem from being alone, but from not being understood\u2019, or, in other words, \u2018from the inability to communicate the things that seem important to us\u2019. 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