Technical cooperation reaches 750 experts from 61 central banks
Banca d'Italia hosted 49 technical cooperation initiatives in the first half of 2026, engaging over 750 experts from 61 central banks. The programs covered artificial intelligence, the digital euro, supervisory technology, and operational resilience.
From SupTech to the digital euro
During the first semester of 2026, Banca d'Italia conducted 49 technical cooperation activities, including seminars, webinars, written consultations, and study visits.
Discussions addressed critical central banking priorities such as artificial intelligence, Big Data, machine learning, and supervisory technology (SupTech).
Key events featured an international seminar in Rome on the Eurosystem's TARGET services—T2, T2S, TIPS, and ECMS—as well as specialized workshops on operational resilience that gathered around 100 central bank representatives.
Cooperation was further strengthened through EU-funded ESCB programs supporting institutions across the Western Balkans and Africa.
A global network for knowledge sharing
The initiatives build on long-standing frameworks, including the Central Bank Cooperation Working Group established in the early 2000s under ECB coordination and currently chaired by Deutsche Bundesbank.
In addition to technical sessions on retail payment innovations and Fintech regulation, the agenda featured international contributions from institutions like Banco Central do Brasil, Bank of Ghana, Bank of Lithuania, and the Central Bank of the Philippines.
Essential exchange, unproven impact
Broad participation demonstrates high demand for peer learning on digital transformation.
However, high attendance at workshops does not automatically translate into tangible supervisory or operational progress.
The true value of these technical exchanges will depend on whether partner central banks can implement these tools effectively.
Source: Newsletter No. 26 - July 2026
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