New Altiero Spinelli Association launched to promote European competitiveness and federalist vision

Rome — A new pro-European association inspired by the legacy of Altiero Spinelli is set to launch on 9 May 2026, coinciding with Europe Day, with the stated aim of strengthening debate on Europe’s economic, industrial and financial policies.

The Association for Common European Progress, founded by a group of young European federalists alongside policy experts, says it intends to promote a stronger and more integrated European response to global economic competition, while safeguarding social cohesion and environmental sustainability.

Organisers described the initiative as being inspired by a new generation of “Spinelli girls and boys”, referencing Spinelli’s long-standing federalist vision and his commitment to placing European unity above traditional political divisions.

The association said it would remain outside conventional party alignments and would instead seek to unite different political and intellectual traditions around a shared European outlook.

Among the leading figures involved is Virgilio Dastoli, who served for many years as Spinelli’s parliamentary assistant both in the Italian Chamber of Deputies between 1977 and 1983 and at the European Parliament from 1977 to 1986.

Dastoli later held several senior roles within European institutions, including Director of the European Commission Representation in Italy from 2003 to 2009. He was also Secretary-General of the European Movement International from 1995 to 2002 and has served since 2010 as President of the Movimento Europeo Italia.

Central to the association’s mission will be research into the factors shaping European competitiveness in comparison with other global powers, with particular attention paid to industrial strategy, innovation, strategic autonomy and economic integration.

The group argues that Europe’s ability to maintain prosperity and technological leadership increasingly depends on acting collectively at continental scale through coordinated industrial, social and financial policies.

An annual report on European competitiveness will form the core of the association’s activities. Organisers said the report would be presented each year during a high-level institutional event and would serve as a platform for dialogue between European institutions, businesses, social partners and researchers.

The association also plans to organise thematic conferences aimed at stimulating public debate on the future of the European economy and the direction of EU industrial policy. Within a year, the organisation is expected to transition into a formal foundation.

The initiative draws particular inspiration from a speech delivered by Spinelli in Venice in April 1972 on “Industry and society in the European Community”, in which he argued that European industrial policy should be used to promote employment, support industries undergoing restructuring, encourage ecological transition and reduce territorial inequalities.

Organisers said many of the issues raised by Spinelli more than fifty years ago remain highly relevant amid growing geopolitical tensions and intensifying international competition.

The association’s first major public event is scheduled for 25 March 2027, marking the seventieth anniversary of the signing of the Treaties of Rome. Two annual competitiveness reports, expected in 2027 and 2028, are intended to contribute to debate ahead of the next European elections in June 2029.

PS