The Ambassador of Italy Claudio Taffuri presided over the annual event that gathered institutions, companies and cultural organizations committed in the promotion of the Italian system in Canada, for the development of a shared strategy and a unified action of all the participants involved.

*Paolo Quattrocchi

The aim of the Italian strategic plan in Canada is “to give even greater impetus and impulse to the already excellent bilateral relations between the two countries”. 
This is what Ambassador Claudio Taffuri said, on January 26 in Ottawa, when he presided over the annual meeting “Italian system”, the coordination meeting of all the parties involved in the promotion of the same system in Canada, in order to integrate the actions implemented overseas, both from the public system and from the Italian business sector, and strengthen the position of Italy in Canada in economic and in particular in terms of profit, but also as a European partner. 

Italy has an indispensable and historic relationship with Canada, today even more solid in light of the events of 2017: the provisional execution of both the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) and the strategic partnership agreement (SPA), signed between Canada and the European Union, Canada's participation in the G7 in Italy and the alternation of institutional visits between the respective premiers and ministers. These events strengthened a relationship characterized by common intentions and connections that are no longer just affirmed, but are continually confirmed in all the institutional and diplomatic offices.

The “Italian System” meeting was therefore an important  opportunity for dialogue between public and private institutions: the Consuls General of Italy in Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Canada with the representatives of the three offices in Toronto, Montréal and Vancouver, the Bank of Italy, ICE Agency, ENIT, military and cultural attaché, as well as the major Italian companies operating in the Canadian market present in Ottawa, such as Astaldi, Campari, Delmar Chemicals, Enel Green Power, Ferrero, Fincantieri, GE New Pignone, IDS North America, Lavazza, Leonardo, Rina Services and Thor & Partners. 
As affirmed by the Ambassador Taffuri, “We need to work with an integrated action plan, in which the actors provide their operational tools to support the business system and increase our economic presence”. All this cannot be achieved without the cooperation between Italian promotion bodies, institutions and private individuals and, therefore, the Ambassador reiterated the importance, also for the three Chambers of Commerce, to consider themselves as part of a single system, working for a common objective, in a country recognized by Italy as unique, considering the differences that characterize the three Canadian provinces in which the Chambers of Commerce operate.

After the Ambassador's introductory speech, the day continued with the presentation of the 2018 programs of ICE, the Chamber of Commerce and ENIT, the assessments of the Consuls General, as well as the promotion of cultural initiatives by the representatives of the Italian Cultural Institutes in Canada. During the afternoon session, held in “round table” mode among the operators, the delegate for the Bank of Italy, Giovanni Majnoni d'Intignano, the ICE director of Toronto Matteo Picariello and Sandra Di Carlo, Deputy Trade Commissioner ICE Toronto, have presented research on the recent developments and prospects of the Canadian economy, providing a current picture of the country's macroeconomic situation and the Italian value in the Canadian trade balance.
On this occasion, the operators had the opportunity to present their business realities or initiatives aimed to support the promotion of Italy-Canada relations. In this circumstance it was held the intervention of the lawyer Paolo Quattrocchi, partner of Nctm Studio Legale which exposed the proven expertise in the field of International trade and, in this specific case, about Canada and CETA agreement, research and analysis subjects carried out also by the Centro Studi Italia-Canada, an instrument of study and information on the relations between the two countries, born under the guidance of the lawyer Quattrocchi. 

In the background of the CETA opportunities that has been discussed during the meeting, there are a series of sectors and categories considered the conductors of the Italian system in Canada: 

- the agri-food industry, the spearhead of Italian production and exports to Canada;
- the renewable energy, where Italy has also moved important steps thanks to two recent agreements closed by Enel Green Power in Alberta; 
- the promotion of the relations with Canada's excellent defense and aerospace industry;
- the monitoring of the public procurement system in consideration of the new provisions of the CETA agreement, following the footsteps of Astaldi, which in 2016 finalized an agreement for the completion of the "Muskrat Falls" hydroelectric project in Terranova and Labrador;
- the collaboration in the field of scientific and technological research.

 

*Partner Nctm Law Firm
Vice-presidente Camera di Commercio Italiana in Canada-Ovest
Director of Centro Studi Italia-Canada