Italian - Israeli economic forum set up by Italian & Israeli Presidents

An Italian delegation met with 338 Israeli companies to discuss cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, hi-tech, agriculture, consumer goods and alternative energy
 
Italian President Giorgio Napolitano began last Tuesday a three-day visit to Israel at the head of a delegation of 98 representatives from companies and business organizations, including the Confederation of Italian Industry, the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) and the Italian Banking Association (ABI).
 
The visit aimed at strengthening trade and commercial ties with Israel. The Italian delegation met with 338 Israeli companies to discuss cooperation in the areas of infrastructure, hi-tech, agriculture, consumer goods and alternative energy.
 
As part of the mission, the delegation visited industrial parks, technical incubators and local industry, including Iscar Ltd., Intel and the Volcani Center.
 
Italy is Israel's fifth-largest export market. In 2007, Israeli exports to Italy amounted to €1.8 billion, representing an increase of 9% over the previous year.
 
In 2008 export from Italy to Israel rose by 10%, and import from Israel grew by 19%. President Shimon Peres and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano inaugurated during the visit ajoint Israeli Italian economic forum to advance co-operation in trade and industrial projects.
 
The joint economic forum was set up in the presence of Israel's National Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer, Italian Minister of Economic Development, Claudio Scajola, Emma Marcegaglia president of the Confederation of Italian Industry, and the President of the Italian Bankers’ Association (ABI), Domenico Santasecca.