This morning, at Villa Madama, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Antonio Tajani, inaugurated the conference “Chemical Innovation as a Multiplier of Internationalisation and Competitiveness”, organised in collaboration with Federchimica to highlight the strategic role of the chemical sector in exports and the economic growth of Italy. The event also features contributions from the Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, the Minister of University and Research, Anna Maria Bernini, and the President of Federchimica, Francesco Buzzella.
The chemical industry is one of the pillars of Italy’s productive system and a key factor in the country’s competitiveness in international markets, with exports worth €40 billion in 2024. Chemistry plays a central role in innovation, enabling many other industries—ranging from pharmaceuticals to electronics, from automotive to aerospace—to compete globally. It is also a crucial sector for processes related to the ecological transition.
During the conference, Federchimica will present the report “Research and Development in Chemistry as a Lever for Competitiveness and Export”, produced by the Research and Documentation Centre of the Luigi Einaudi Foundation. The document aims to highlight the strategic role of research and development in the chemical sector as an essential driver of competitiveness for both Italian and European industry. The event will then continue with three roundtables focusing on: the internationalisation of the Italian chemical industry, the role of international cooperation in chemical research and the acceleration of investment in the sector.
Among the key speakers are Stefano Pontecorvo, President of Leonardo SpA; Alessandra Ricci, Chief Executive Officer of SACE; Matteo Zoppas, President of Italian Trade Agency (ITA); Giovanna Iannantuoni, President of the Conference of Italian University Rectors (CRUI) and Rector of the University of Milano-Bicocca; Regina Corradini d’Arienzo, Chief Executive Officer of SIMEST; and Dario Scannapieco, Chief Executive Officer of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti.
