LUISS alumnus Mattia Pellegrini has worked at the European Commission in Brussels for years. A graduate from the Department of Political Science, he today is head of the Raw Materials Initiative with the Directorate-General for the Internal Market, Entrepreneurship and SMEs.
“My most treasured memories regard the relationship between professors and students,” says Pellegrini. “My experience with Professors Angela Del Vecchio and Paolo De Caterini was fundamental to my future. Thanks to their courses I became interested in European Law, and decided to do an Erasmus project in Liège, where I developed my passion for the European machine, and followed Professor Paul Demaret, the future rector of the College of Europe. I am a typical product of the European Union: after participating in Erasmus, I did a Leonardo Project in England with a Liverpool marketing research agency where I learned English and to work straight to the point.”
After his preparation for European careers in Rome and a Master in European Legal Studies at the College of Europe in Bruge, Mattia began working for the European Commission in 2000, with an internship with the Directorate-General for Competition while Mario Monti was the Commissioner. “Over the years, I have worked in international environments and negotiations during the Kyoto Protocall era, and in both public and consumer health. Furthermore, I have had two important experiences with Italian commissioners, first with Antonio Tajani and then as cabinet head with Ferdinando Nelli Feroci.”
Pellegrini’s mission as unit head for raw materials is to promote competition and develop strategies to finance industry in key sectors such as metals and minerals. “Being in charge of this unit means running a family of thirty people that look after the environment and public health while supporting a solid and active industrial policy. These two worlds seem distant, but they can and must coexist: we have to combine the rebirth of industry with the protection of human health. Europe’s future holds less unemployment, and more green policy, with more attention to its citizens.”
On a wider level, Pellegrini hopes that Italy and LUISS will play a key role in large European processes. Therefore, in collaboration with the LUISS Brussels Desk, Pellegrini is offering the University’s most qualified students the opportunity to work for his unit. One of them is Livia Eliasova, a Slovakian student from the master’s program in International Relations, participating in the Double Degree program with the Université Libre de Bruxelles. “I have found myself in a dynamic environment, full of people with different experiences. Every day I see how energy policy is created and implemented and how they interact with various stakeholders in the field of raw materials.”
Working in a specialized unit like raw materials is not easy, but knowledge of other languages helps. “Foreign languages are essential for a European career. Over the years I have learned eight languages, which has led me to working a lot with communication and event organization. One such event was the Raw Materials University Day, an awareness campaign highlighting the importance of metals and minerals that I organized on my own for two university events in Slovakia and Finland.”
Livia, after completing an internship in the unit, now has an interim contract with which she intends to begin a career in Brussels. “The environment is stimulating, and I am learning a lot working under the direction of Mr. Pellegrini.” I’m doing my best to stay and contribute to the European Union.” To guarantee the same opportunity to other young people, Pellegrini is working on a platform that involves Italian universities: “We are writing a manifesto and creating an network of job opportunities that will allow young people to get an up-close view of how the heart of Europe works."