In Trieste, during 'Selecting Italy 2025', the Operational Lines of Collaboration were signed to make the country more competitive and attractive in the eyes of international investors

Promoting sustainable and competitive growth in Italy through stable cooperation between the industrial system and the regions. This is the objective of the Operational lines of collaboration for attracting foreign investmentssigned in Trieste, on the occasion of "Selecting Italy 2025", from Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provincesled by President Massimiliano Fedriga, and by Confindustriarepresented by Barbara Cimmino, Vice-President for Export and Investment Attraction and President of theAdvisory Board Foreign Investors (ABIE), and by Annalisa SassiPresident of the Council of Regional Representatives (CRR).

An agreement to strengthen competitiveness and territorial growth

With the signature, the Parties intend to consolidate a structured and lasting institutional collaboration aimed at promoting the competitiveness of enterprisesboosting investment in Italy and enhancing the contribution of the cohesion policy to the development of the country.

At the heart of the agreement is the strengthening the role of territories in the attraction and retention of foreign investments, in synergy between the Conference of Regions, ABIE e Observatory of Foreign Enterprises (OIE) of Confindustria. The collaboration will also involve the regional representatives of the confindustrial systembrought together in the CRRto promote a widespread culture of attractiveness and foster the administrative simplification through the digitisation of processes.

Shared projects and digital simplification

The protocol provides for the organisation of meetings at regional level to strengthen dialogue between institutional and business actors, and collaboration with the OIE to identify local competitiveness factorsproduction specialisations and innovation ecosystems.
Among the priorities, a experimental digital simplification project aimed at overcoming bureaucratic bottlenecks in authorisation processes for foreign investments, improving transparency and decision-making time and providing common recommendations at national level.

Joint events and focus on the Single SEZ

The partnership will enhance important events such as 'Selecting Italy'promoted by the Conference of Regions, and theABIE Annual Meetingpromoted by Confindustria, to strengthen the image of Italy as a competitive and reliable destination for foreign investors. Special attention will be paid to the Single SEZas a strategic lever for the development of the Mezzogiorno.

To support the activities, a Permanent Working Group composed of representatives from the regions, ABIE and the CRR, charged with monitoring progress and drawing up a annual report on the progress of the work.

Barbara Cimmino: 'Structured coordination to attract and consolidate foreign investment'

"Today we are starting a new phase," emphasised Barbara Cimmino, Vice President of Confindustria -: a structured coordination between ABIE and the Conference of Regions on the topic of foreign investments. Our Foreign Companies Observatory will provide analyses and tools to assess the potential of the territories, which are fundamental for political and economic decisions, also through the identification of factors that limit the development of production activities, promoting solutions based on the digitalisation of processes. Communication will also be central, to enhance the contribution and role of foreign companies in the territories. A shared path that aims to attract and consolidate foreign investments in Italy, which today represent over 35% of exports of goods and more than 1.7 million employees."

Massimiliano Fedriga: 'Italy more attractive and competitive thanks to collaboration with Confindustria'

'We want to intensify the collaboration between regions and the industrial system so that Italy is even more attractive and competitive in the eyes of foreign investors,' he said. Massimiliano FedrigaPresident of the Conference of Regions. "We have chosen to focus on clear objectives: enhancing the experiences of companies already present in the country, promoting a simpler and more digital administrative environment, and building a stable and coordinated system of relations between institutions, entrepreneurs, and investors," Fedriga continued. The president then thanked "Confindustria, and in particular the vice-presidents Barbara Cimmino and Annalisa Sassi, for having shared operational working lines" that "will allow concrete steps forward in a national policy of attracting foreign investment that is vital for the growth of companies and territories."

Annalisa Sassi: 'Regional representatives as protagonists of competitive and inclusive growth'

"The cooperation between Confindustria and the Conference of Regions," said Vice President Annalisa Sassi - represents an opportunity to transform the needs of territories into concrete strategies for competitiveness and growth. The Regional Representations of Confindustria, thanks to their roots in the territories, will play a leading role in this process, helping to build a dialogue with regional institutions and identify concrete solutions to the strategic priorities of local development. There are many challenges to face together, starting with the future of cohesion policy, for a balanced and competitive growth of the country."