Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy

The "Cernobbio Forum"

Its international scope is the most significant aspect of the Forum that TEHA Group organizes each year in September at Villa d’Este in Cernobbio, on the shores of Lake Como, Italy. The event, held each year since 1975, is titled "Intelligence on the World, Europe, and Italy" although it is commonly referred to as "Cernobbio Forum", due to its traditional location. The Forum brings together an array of speakers of the highest level from the world of politics, academia, government and business, from across the globe.

The Forum is a three-day event:

• Day One is normally dedicated to major global issues of a predominantly economic, geopolitical and scientific/technological nature.
• Day Two focuses on Europe and enjoys the presence of officials and representatives of all major European institutions who take part in discussions around the most pressing issues facing the European Union.
• And finally, Day Three is dedicated to Italy with the presence of representatives of the Italian government, officials and numerous leading figures from the world of business and finance.

As per tradition, the event takes place behind closed doors, and will follow the Chatham House Rule: participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speaker(s), nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. 

The 52nd edition took place on September 4-5-6, 2026. The proceedings opened with institutional remarks by the President of the Italian Republic, Sergio Mattarella. It was a phygital event (part physical, part digital) with a central hub in the established venue at Villa d’Este which will be connected with several hubs in other locations in Italy, Europe and the rest of the world. Thanks to the partnership with Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and with the Italian Trade Agency, the entire network of Italian diplomats and businesses abroad had the opportunity to follow the proceedings and stay updated on global, European, and Italian scenarios.

Speakers

The event hosted representatives from six governments (Italy, Croatia, Albania, United States, Saudi Arabia, Portugal, Türkiye) — alongside key ministers from the Italian Government, two European Commissioners, the President of the European Council, and the EU Rapporteur for the Single Market.

The United States Government was represented by Jarrod Argen (Assistant to President Trump and Executive Director of the National Council for Energy Dominance at the White House), Matthew G. Whitaker (United States Permanent Representative to NATO), Gina M. Raimondo (Distinguished Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations; 40th United States Secretary of Commerce), John Barrasso (United States Senator, Republican - Wyoming) and Kirsten Gillibrand (United States Senator, Democratic - New York).

On Sunday, spokespersons from the main Italian opposition parties/movements gave a speech and joined the debate on the Agenda for Italy.

Topics



Papers

In 2026, we presented 20+ Studies that provide an integrated perspective on the key challenges shaping the competitiveness of Italy and Europe, while offering strategic recommendations to support the country’s future growth. This year, our research covers a broad range of topics, from the evolution of the global macroeconomic landscape to investments, highlighting their contribution to growth, employment, and productivity.

Particular attention is given to the energy and industrial transition, the circular economy, decarbonization, economic and geopolitical security, and the strengthening of strategic value chains. The studies also explore issues that are critical to the future of Italy, including investment attractiveness, human capital development, talent retention, innovation, administrative simplification, and the role of emerging technologies. Additional insights focus on the Mattei Plan for Africa, the Single Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Southern Italy, priorities beyond the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), women’s empowerment, youth innovation, and the contribution of the news publishing ecosystem to competitiveness and social cohesion.

Together, these analyses outline a comprehensive vision of the economic, industrial, and social priorities that will shape the future of Italy and Europe.