Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was in Vicenza to meet with Mayor Giacomo Possamai and representatives of the local business community, and to attend the event ‘Cultural Diplomacy: The Strategic Value between Institutions, Business and International Relations’, organised by the City of Vicenza and Confindustria.
The Minister also took part in a discussion with Confcooperative and the main associated cooperative wineries at Borgo Rocca Sveva, headquarters of the Cantina di Soave, an opportunity to promote a sector that is the excellence of Made in Italy, capable of combining tradition, identity and innovation.
The mission in Veneto continues today with attendance at the opening of Vinitaly, a key event for the international promotion of Italian-made products and for strengthening the presence of Italian companies in global markets. The record attendance of 433 foreign buyers from 45 countries stems from the joint action of the Italian economic system to promote the internationalisation of the production sector, also through the involvement of the diplomatic and consular network and the promotion of the Italian trade fair calendar presented last January at the Foreign Ministry.
The wine sector is one of the key assets of Italy’s economic activity: in 2025 exports reached 7.8 billion, with production exceeding 47 million hectolitres, thus confirming Italy’s position as a key player in global trade with a market share of over 23%. Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has strengthened its growth diplomacy efforts by providing structured support to companies through coordinated work with ITA, SACE and SIMEST. In 2025, over 50 initiatives dedicated to the wine and spirits sector were carried out, involving nearly 1,000 operators, whilst over 240 initiatives in the agri-food sector are already planned for 2026, with a budget of over €11 million. These measures are complemented by global initiatives from the network of Embassies and Consulates and 32 agreements with major international retailers involving more than 7,700 Italian companies.
At the same time, Italy is advocating within the EU for a regulatory framework that supports the sector’s competitiveness: the recent ‘Wine Package’, adopted in part thanks to Italy’s efforts in Brussels, introduces concrete measures to support promotion, simplification and innovation.
