"If Europe stands still, if it does not change, the crossroads between enlargement and integration will bring consequences that are truly difficult to manage. Before anything else, however, the peoples of Europe must clarify to themselves what they want from this Europe'. Said President Riccardo di Stefano in his report opening the traditional Rapallo Confindustria Young Entrepreneurs' Convention.

"As European citizens, and young entrepreneurs, we hope to one day have a common tax system, common social and educational policies, a common defence policy. This is the horizon within which we imagine the future. But we know that resistance to this project is strong and enduring. We know that Europe lacks a founding feeling of a united people. We know that it will take time. So other solutions must be found, which for us come through enhanced cooperation between smaller groups of member states. Some call it a two-speed Europe, others a multi-speed Europe. We call it 'Europe of responsibility'. It is unacceptable that a Union of 27 countries, 500 million people and a GDP of 14.5 trillion is weak'.

A week before the European vote, Di Stefano made an appeal: 'To the voters we say: go straight to the ballot and take responsibility. To the parties we ask: did you choose the best people for Europe? The best ideas? The best proposals? Because only with those will Italy lead the other member states to their positions. The election campaign so far has been disappointing and empty. Devoid of content, of a clear vision of today and tomorrow. Lists, heads of lists, broad and narrow camps, government balances: this is all we have been told. No more alibis,' he said. "What confidence can we have, then, in institutions when faced with saloon scenes like the one seen in Parliament during the debate on the premierate?"

On the technological challenges, especially on AI, the president of the under-40 industrialists said: 'In Europe, we invest 1 billion a year in artificial intelligence. Not enough. We need a European fund to gather public and private investment. A financial and matching instrument between technology producers and users, i.e. institutions, large industries, SMEs and start-ups. True European AI champions must be created. Large companies that are fully active in this market. Provided that the European antitrust does not nip them in the bud.

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