Under-Secretary Mario Giro met Canada’s Minister of International Trade, Edward Fast, today 21 January 2015. Minister Fast is in Rome before heading to the annual World Economic Forum in Davos. Topics for today’s meeting included growing economic and commercial relations; common interests in the field of science, technology and energy; and the prospects and opportunities arising from the entry into force of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) between the EU and Canada
Under-Secretary Giro and Minister Fast attended the signing of a bilateral action plan for science, technology and innovation. The plan, signed by the Director General for Country Promotion, Ambassador Andrea Meloni, and the Canadian Ambassador in Rome, Peter McGovern, is designed to enhance collaboration between the two countries’ academic and research centres. Priority areas for cooperation are: marine and arctic science, aerospace, agriculture and agri-food, and life sciences.
Over 3000 Italian researchers currently work in Canada, a country with an active community of 1.5 million citizens of Italian origin. The Italian community is perfectly integrated in Canadian society and is a significant factor in the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries.
