Group 1. DEMOCRATICALLY ACCOUNTABLE GLOBAL DIGITAL PLATFORMS AS A EUROPEAN APPROACH TO THE BATTLE FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

If we look at the battle for global digital leadership, Europe seems not to have even entered it. The consequences are obvious both economically and politically. The idea of a ‘Digital Union’ is, therefore, not only a priority, but the very possibility of providing the Union with a mission relevant enough to justify its survival in the 21st century.

Introduction: Alexandra Geese (MEP, Alliance 90/The Greens)

Speakers: Gioia Ghezzi* (President of the EIT – European Institute of Innovation and Technology) Ernest Wilson* (Former President of the Annenberg School of Communication in Los Angeles and Director of the USC Centre for the Third Space Thinking), Francesco Lapenta (Institute of Future and Innovation Studies. John Cabot University, Rome), Paul Nemitz* (Senior Advisor for Justice Policy, EU Commission, Member of the German Data Ethics Commission, Global Council on Extended Intelligence), Francesco Bonfiglio* (Chief Executive Officer at GAIA – X), Beatrice Covassi* (Minister Counsellor for the Digital economy at the newly established EU Delegation to the UK), Steven Everts (Senior Advisor on strategy and communications at the European External Action Service), Raffaele Stancanelli (ECR Group MEP, Commission Vice-President Iuri), Franco Bassanini* (President AREL and President of the Board at OPEN FIBER), Alfio Puglisi (King’s College London), Barbara Carfagna* (RAI), Viviana Mazza (Journalist, Corriere della Sera), Laura Silvia Battaglia (Freelance journalist Washington Post), Elvira Amata (President Commissione Statuto ARS),  Hanna Lucinda Smith (Times), Sandro Gozi (Former Italy’s Minister for European Affairs), Demir Murat Seyrek (European Foundation for Democracy), Stefania Giannini (UNESCO Assistant Director-General).

Chair: Jan Piotrowski (The Economist, Business Editor)