The Draghi and Letta reports at UPF
On May 19, 2025, it took place in the Mercè Rodoreda Auditorium of the Ciutadella Campus of Pompeu Fabra University. Promoted by the BEST Foundation, the presentation and debate of the Draghi and Letta reports, published in 2024, began at six in the evening.
A group of 25 people attended the event. Among the attendees were students from the bachelor’s degree in Industrial Technologies and Economic Analysis (GTIAE) and also teaching staff.
Luxury speakers
The event featured the following speakers, a good example of the best experts on economy in Catalonia:
- Mr. Joaquim Coello, naval engineer, businessman with a recognized career and president of the BEST Foundation.
- Mr. Josep Lluís Oller, doctor in Economic Sciences and director at several economic institutions in the country.
- Mr. Guillem López, doctor in public economics, university professor with a recognized career and who acted as moderator.
The theses defended
The speaker, Josep Lluís Oller, focused his speech on contextualising the Draghi and Letta reports. Both arise from the need for Europe to react to the challenge it faces in relation to the US and Chinese economies. The diagnosis indicates a lack of innovation, the desire to decarbonise the economy and the need to increase military deterrent capacity.
In Europe, in addition to the demographic stagnation, there is a lack of specificity in how to apply solutions and there is a great dispersion of resources. There are 27 states that need to be coordinated and there is a lack of real cooperation. We are very different by tradition, and it is very difficult to find common policies, there is always someone who does not fit.
On the contrary, Mr. Joaquim Coello described how the Draghi report is based on the desire to guarantee the EU’s human rights. For this reason, we need to be more productive. Therefore, an investment of €800,000 million is proposed over about 3 years, much higher than the Marshall Plan. However, this investment must come, first and foremost, from the private market. Secondly, by the debt of the Member States. Logically, this investment must be applied in digitalisation, environment, and defence.
Consequently, shared policies and more research are needed. Only 1/3 of the patents registered in Europe are used. For example, it is necessary to invest in the chip industry, and it is not achieved even though the figures are acceptable. Finally, he recommended that Spain is small and that we have to decide what we want to be good at. As an illustration, he used the formula Force = Pressure / Surface.
A current and essential debate
This was followed by a question-and-answer session that put the following subjects on the table, among others:
- The need to find effective mechanisms to ensure real cooperation between member states. History and different institutions still weighs too much.
- The lack of political will to implement the recommendations of the Draghi and Letta reports, largely due to the high standard of living we already enjoy. There is a risk that these reports will remain in a drawer, as has happened on other occasions.
- The emergence and consolidation of anti-European governments because of globalisation. Thus, important social groups feel excluded and react against the construction of Europe. There is no consensus on how to address this issue.
- The importance of respecting the principle of subsidiarity in the EU, to find a balance between local and European interests.
In short, it was a magnificent opportunity for academics and students of the GTIAE to contextualize the complexity of economic, political, and cultural issues. Without a doubt, a good dose of realism for future graduates of the GTIAE.
From the BEST Foundation we thank the participation of the speakers and moderator and of the attending public.
