Oct. 21 – Increasingly, Italy’s Northeast relies on Croatia as a reliable trading partner: in the first half of 2014, exports from Veneto, Trentino-Alto Adige and Friuli-Venezia Giulia, amounting to almost €400 million, increased by 26.5% compared to the same period of 2013. Imports amounted to €332 million euro, increasing by 13.6%. This trend gives confidence to the investment flows directed towards the other side of the Adriatic, reaping the benefits of European structural funds a year after Croatia’s entry into the European Union. These positive developments will be the focus of a conference on "Croatia and the European Union: new development horizons," scheduled for Thursday, October 23 at 3:30pm at the Unioncamere Veneto headquarters - PST Vega (Sala Europa - via delle Industrie 19 C, Marghera-Venice), organized by Veneto Banca and Unioncamere Veneto. "The Europe we want - said the president of Unioncamere Veneto, Fernando Zilio - is the one that can offer real opportunities. We don’t seek a technocratic nor a rigid Europe, but rather one of cooperation between peoples that benefits the 500 million people who live in the Old Continent." The event will offer a good opportunity to discuss with the highest representatives of the Croatian Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, primarily the Minister Gordan Maras, the prospects and opportunities in Croatia, where Italy ranks 7th in the list of investor countries, especially in the banking, trade and tourism sectors. In particular, Italy’s Northeast is a leader in the fashion industry, mechanical engineering and food industries. (Red)

THE SPEAKERS

The conference will be opened by Fernando Zilio (President of Unioncamere Veneto), Francesco Favotto (President of Veneto Banca Scpa), Marino Finozzi (Councilor for Tourism and Foreign Commerce of the Veneto Region) and Francesco Peroni (Councilor for Finance, Heritage, Coordination and Economic Policy and Community Programming of the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region). The current investment opportunities in Croatia will be presented by the Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises of the Republic of Croatia, Gordan Maras, Zdenka Loncar and Sani Ljubuncic, respectively assistant for international cooperation and head of the investment and infrastructure at the same department. The prospects for development in the North Adriatic will be the focus of the speech by the Secretary-General of Unioncamere Veneto, Gian Angelo Bellati; while Francesco Pareti, head of the Department of Community Policies at Unioncamere -Eurosportello Veneto will discuss ways to facilitate interventions through the European Structural Funds 2014-2020.