Joint press statement by Italian and Finnish Foreign Trade Ministers
They exchanged views on bilateral commercial and economic relations between Italy and Finland with special focus on hi-tech and telecommunication and electronics industry, transport, including Finland's role as a gateway to Russia, and tourism.
The ministers also discussed on the basis of Italian experiences how cooperation between Finnish and Italian small and medium-sized enterprises could be enhanced.
The WTO, including the accession of the Russian Federation, China's recent accession and its consequences to the world trading system, was also on the ministers agenda. The Finnish side gave information about Finnish-Russian commercial relations and an update on the talks on the bilateral agreement on the promotion and protection of investments. The EU enlargement, including an assessment on the economic consequences with a special focus on the Baltic countries and Danubian-Balkan countries as well as Euro-Mediterranean dialogue, was also taken up in discussions.
Recalling their previous meeting in Rome on 11 July, 2002, the ministers agreed to strengthen the economic cooperation between Finland and Italy by fostering the most suitable initiatives in the fields of investments, commercial opportunities, exchange of information, reciprocal assistance in organising of seminars, exhibitions, and other trade promotion activities. They encouraged the business community in both countries to get closely involved in this process.
In order to achieve these goals, Mr Vilén and Mr Urso expressed their wish that the Italian and Finnish institutions for foreign trade and export promotion, ICE and FINPRO, could consider the establishment of regular contacts and specific forms of cooperation including the identification of sectors for collaboration and joint venture opportunities both in Italy and in Finland as well as in third countries also by exploiting international financing facilities.
Both Ministers agreed to have periodic consultations in order to follow-up the discussion and to identify and update the ways and means to further enhance bilateral commercial and economic cooperation between Italy and Finland.
Finpro(Link to another website.)
Istituto Nationale per il Commercio Estero (ICE)(Link to another website.)