-Accord to guarantee highest participation of industrial system-

ROME, July 12, 2024 /ANSA=Kyodo JBN/ --

Guaranteeing the highest level of participation of the Italian industrial system at Expo 2025 Osaka is the main objective of a Memorandum of Understanding signed on Wednesday in Rome by industrialists' association Confindustria and the Commissioner General for Italy at the Universal Exhibition.

The agreement, which was signed at Confindustria's headquarters, will moreover promote tourism and different territories, supporting the internationalization of production chains and attracting investments by highlighting Italy's technologies and know-how.

The protocol - signed ahead of the Universal Exhibition by Barbara Cimmino, Confindustria's vice president for exports and investments' attraction, and by Mario Vattani, the Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka - reinforces cooperation between the two institutions in the development of connections between Italian businesses and new potential foreign partners to facilitate the development of economic relations and commercial agreements.

The meeting was also attended by Matteo Zoppas, president of Italian Trade Agency ICE, to stress the agency's commitment in the promotion of entrepreneurial activities on foreign markets.

Support is key to highlight the value of Made in Italy products and contribute to the internationalization of companies in Asia of which Expo 2025 Osaka will be an important driving force.

The vice president of Confindustria, Barbara Cimmino, said objectives of the Protocol of agreement signed on Wednesday include "identifying projects to be involved, in close agreement with associations of the (industrial) system, favouring the most significant ones in relation to the Asian-Pacific area and countries considered as strategic, creating occasions to meet and talk with associated companies, agencies, institutions, the academies with which the Commissioner has forged cooperation agreements, promote, in partnership with the public system, the organization of incoming and outgoing missions in Japan to start direct collaborations with agencies and operators of the area and favouring contacts between Italian companies and counterparts of interest".

Cimmino went on to say that in the coming months "a shared plan of activities" will be defined "to facilitate the aggregation of resources and knowledge in the Italian entrepreneurial world, in which companies will be the true protagonists, in relation to the themes and projects of Italy's participation at Expo 2025".

The Commissioner General for Italy at Expo 2025 Osaka, Ambassador Mario Vattani, said that, "for a semester, the Italy Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka will be an effective tool to promote our excellence in Japan and in Asia, a region characterized by young markets with a strong growth".

"Along with dedicated spaces in which it will be possible to present projects and organize events, companies that will attend Expo will be supported through services offered by a network of institutions and associations of category with which, over the past months, we have forged cooperation agreements.

"The partnership with Confindustria is an important element of this path of internationalization", concluded Vattani.

ICE's president, Matteo Zoppas, said "Expo 2025 Osaka is an event uniting the promotion and development of Made in Italy, which represent the main activities of the ICE Agency.

"The Universal Exhibition is in fact a unique window for Italian productions and for the growth of exports, not only on the local market but also in Japan and across the Asian continent.

"The ICE Agency, through its network of offices, could contribute to Expo Osaka by organizing the incoming of qualified operators and buyers with the objective of creating occasions of business matching and laying the groundwork for the further development of Italian businesses in the area.

"In Japan, Made in Italy exports in 2023 reached 8 billion euros, including products of excellence in terms of quality, innovation and technology, with great prospects of growth.

"Expo 2025 Osaka will thus provide an occasion that can't be missed to capitalize on the level of attraction of Italian-made products through the contribution of the entire country, represented by ICE, Sace, Simest and Cdp, together with the great commitment of the government, offered to companies and associations that will participate, "The best ambassador at Expo of beautiful things that are well made: Made in Italy", he concluded.

Expo 2025 will be held in Osaka from April 13 until October 13, 2025 under the theme "Designing future society for our lives".

Italy is presenting itself with a pavilion designed by architect Mario Cucinella whose slogan is "Art regenerates life".

Over 30 million visitors are expected to attend the event.

This Universal Exhibition will provide an important opportunity of promotion for Italian companies in the Asian-Pacific area in which Italy's "state of the art" can be presented - from design to food, fashion, technology, infrastructures, urban planning, energy, science and industry, with an insight into aerospace, robotics, life sciences and high tech, pharmaceutics and the biomedical sector.

Source: General Commissioner’s Office of Italy for Expo 2025 Osaka