Chaired by Foreign Minister Emma Bonino and the Minister for Economic Development, Flavio Zanonato, the Panel for International Italy met today, 10 July, at the Foreign Ministry in Rome.
One of Panel’s primary goals is to up-date and enhance the promotional plan for 2013 and, in the run-up to 2014, boost the programme of missions abroad (institutional, multi-sector, sector-based and Government-to-Government). The plan will focus on integrated “vertical” projects and on the most technologically innovative sectors.
Other goals are to promote and publicise our country’s tourist attractions through the Tourism Action Plan and the inclusion of Expo 2015 in all promotional mechanisms and initiatives.
Carlo Calenda, the Deputy Minister for Foreign Trade, illustrated the proposals for the Panel, with the focus on two important new special projects. One is a roadshow in Italy to permanently increase the number of exporters. And the other a set of initiatives to consolidate our distribution network in the US market in preparation for the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) agreement. The Panel for International Italy also aims to provide a financial and operational boost to the instruments available to support our businesses abroad, such as Ice, Sace and Simest.
Participants at today’s meeting included the Minister for the Economy and Finance, Fabrizio Saccomanni; the Minister for Cultural Activities and Tourism, Massimo Bray; and the Minister for Agricultural Policy, Nunzia De Girolamo. Riccardo Monti, the President of the Conference of the Regions, was represented by the President of the Marches Region, Gian Mario Spacca. ICE, the Italian Trade Commission, was represented by its President, Riccardo Monti.
The business community was represented by UNIONCAMERE (Ferruccio Dardanello, President), Confindustria (Giorgio Squinzi, President), Rete Imprese Italia (Ivan Malavasi, President), ABI (the Italian Banking Association) and the Cooperatives Alliance (Maurizio Gardini, President).