The first meeting of the Committee for Made in Italy in the World – CIMIM, a body set up by the Italian government last November, co-chaired by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy and participated in by the Italian Ministries of Economy and Finance; Agriculture and Food Sovereignty; and Tourism – was held today at the Farnesina.
The Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, opened the proceedings by emphasising the value of this important innovation – which is promoted by the Italian government to consolidate the governance of the activities supporting the internationalisation of Italy’s enterprises – and stressing the importance of closer cooperation among the institutions involved. “With the establishment of the CIMIM, we aim at strengthening liaison activities in all the various phases this activity consists of,” said the Minister, “starting from the definition of the strategic guidelines that will govern our action, which we will be called upon to adopt at the next meeting of the Steering Committee for Internationalisation to be hosted at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 31 January. We intend to submit to the Committee’s approval a strategy that focuses first and foremost on our neighbours, with particular reference to the Balkans – the focus of the conference I organised in Trieste on 24 January – the Mediterranean and Africa, and then broaden our gaze towards markets full of business opportunities, such as Latin America.”
The Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, said, “it is no coincidence that the establishment of this Committee is one of the first actions of this government, as it demonstrates the united spirit of the forces that make up this executive – a novelty that enables us to quickly reach a consensus also on the promotion of Italian products in the world. Italy must act as a single system to govern the new globalisation processes.” Minister Urso also added, “the CIMIM will serve to provide strategic guidelines to accompany businesses in their growth in markets abroad: the Steering Committee will define Italy’s internationalisation policies.” In conclusion, Minister Urso said that the CIMIM is “a first step in measuring the Steering Committee for Internationalisation, in addition to the development of activities related to the Space and Blue economy.”
The Minister of Economy and Finance, Giancarlo Giorgetti, said “the competitiveness of Italian companies in international markets is one of the main strengths of the Italian economy. Within the Italian government’s overall strategy on internationalisation, the MEF’s initiatives for the development of the capital market will be able to foster the attraction of investors and funds to Italy.”
The Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Francesco Lollobrigida, said, “We are known throughout the world for the quality and richness of our agrifood production. The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty is honoured to support and enhance Italian agrifood in our country and in the world, protecting it against the phenomenon of “Italian sounding”, to promote the marketing of our products, and to convey our ability to transform food into works of art. I believe that it is necessary for each Ministry to direct promotional strategies as far as it is competent, using the Steering Committee and every organisation connected to its members.”
The Minister of Tourism, Daniela Santanchè, said, “Tourism can and must be the main key to the promotion of Made in Italy – so much so that tourists from all over the world often choose our country precisely because of the typical products and specialities that distinguish our area – from food and wine to fashion, to name just two examples. Tourists want to discover where and how Made in Italy is born, and what the roots that make it absolutely unique and inimitable are. Therefore, the idea is to import into the tourism sector the winning communication strategy with which other sectors, such as automotive and fashion, have been able to successfully promote and sell the Made in Italy brand.”
