The second leg of the Italian Investment Attraction Tour was held today at the Chamber of Commerce of Venezia Giulia. The Tour is organised by the Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, in association with the State-Region Coordination Group for the attraction of investments, which includes the Ministry of Economic Development (MISE), the Foreign Ministry (MAECI), the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano and the Italian Trade Agency ICE.
The initiative is addressed to local stakeholders, in particular to administrations and associations, and is part of a programme of meetings at local level on the governance aspect of attracting investments, aimed at enhancing cooperation between different levels – international, national, regional and sub-regional – creating a “bottom-up” drive in reorganising the territory in terms of attracting foreign investments and stimulating the development of offers (projects of public interest and territorial enrichment).
The Tour represents one of the major Government-Regions joint actions developed following the recommendations of the Situation Room for Internationalisation on strengthening cooperation with Regions in the area of attracting investments, providing for, among other things, the dissemination of best practices and awareness-raising activities with local administrations.
Foreign investments represent an opportunity for the Country’s economic system, especially investments in the so-called greenfield e brownfield – aimed at creating new production activities or at the acquisition of existing facilities – that have a direct impact on the economic system in terms of creating value added and new jobs, and affect the attraction of new technologies or funnel national productions into global supply chains. In addition to attracting industrial and financial partners for our companies, especially SMEs, they contribute to economic growth insofar as these partnerships are aimed at strengthening our entrepreneurial system, increasing jobs, financial resources and market outlets for our products.
The presentation illustrated the present national governance system and the incentives available for foreign investors, with a special focus on Friuli Venezia Giulia. The presentation mainly focused on the Economic Diplomacy activity performed abroad by the Network of Embassies and Consulates to promote Italy and the investment opportunities with large investors, as well as the work of the Offices of ICE-Agency and, in particular, of the 9 specialised Desks in the world’s major financial markets that enable a targeted selection of incoming investment projects. Domestically, this action is coordinated with the activity of the Foreign Investment Attraction Committee, which was created in 2015 with the task of providing administrative support for large investment projects and of formulating policy proposals to simplify legal provisions. Moreover, ICE-Agencymonitors the operational phases following the attraction of investments, accompanying investors throughout the process, also at domestic level. Cooperation with local administrations, primarily with the Regions, is achieved thanks to the continuing coordination of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces.
The next stops of the Tour are scheduled in Lombardy and the Marches.
