Vigonomics

Vigonomics is a Villa Vigoni project dedicated to the economic and financial aspects of European integration, with particular emphasis on Europe's Economic and Monetary Union (EMU). It is a spin-off project of the Villa Vigoni Euro-Workshop, which brings together experts working in central banks, the European Central Bank, the European Commission, the European Council, the European Parliament, the European Banking Supervisory Agency, the Brussels think tanks, the International Monetary Fund, the banking sector and the media.

Context

The introduction of the single currency has been an important driver of political integration, bringing European citizens closer and representing a significant common ground for Member States. However, the ongoing construction of the Eurozone is experiencing difficulties with its effective completion, provoking diverse views on the direction the EMU should take      in the future. In the years of the financial crisis, the European Union has adopted measures to enhance the Union´s economic and financial resilience. Nevertheless, the effective completion of the EMU relies on difficult compromises being found between Member States.

Villa Vigoni proposed to launch the project Vigonomics, aiming to encourage a wider debate about the most urgent issues relating to the Eurozone. The project will pay particular attention to the Italian-German context, even though it will always consider the European perspective as a whole. Germany and Italy have differing approaches to economic and financial governance, which often complicates the discussion on the Eurozone's reforms

The project will oversee the organization of a series of conferences between Italy, Germany and other members of the Eurozone with the following two formats:

• panel debates that will involve academic experts and policy-makers, in order connect universities and institutions;
• public events followed by Q&A sessions, in order to raise awareness on essential European economic issues and to offer platforms for discussion between European citizens and experts based on true facts and information.

This project aims:

• To foster a German-Italian network on the issues involved, with Villa Vigoni functioning as a hub between different actors from the world of politics, universities and institutions;
• To create a platform for specific discussions between Italian, German and other partners and actors;
• To bring together the academic world with the world of politics and institutions to promote an exchange of information and knowledge which is essential in today’s fragmented society;
• To bring the media's attention to specific issues;
• To help the spread of information on European economic issues, which are often poorly understood by the general public.

Due to the changed circumstances in 2020, the initially planned events were adapted to a digital format which consists of two strands:

• Euro-Lectures: Web talks that give insights on the euro-area decision making process
• Euro-Talks: Web talks that offer high-level discussions among experts and policy makers
• Deutschland und Italien: eine spannungsreiche Beziehung/ Italia e Germania: una relazione ad alta tensione in cooperation with VHS Wissen Live

Coordination: Sabine Seeger-Regling | Vigoni-Ambassador at the EU