Minister Kiviniemi visits Italy

Press release 343/2005
7 November, 2005


Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Mari Kiviniemi will visit Italy on 8-9 November.

In Rome Minister Kiviniemi will meet with Minister Adolfo Urso who is responsible for Italy's foreign trade portfolio and Europe Minister Giorgio La Malfa. Ministers Kiviniemi and Urso will discuss the current trade talks within the World Trade Organisation and preparations for the WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in December. They will also talk about EU relations with China and India, the ASEM process and bilateral trade and economic issues between Finland and Italy. With Europe Minister La Malfa the talks will focus on growth and employment promotion in the EU through the implementation of the Lisbon strategy, the EU´s future financial frameworks and the preparations for Finland´s EU presidency next year and its focal points.

On 9 November Minister Kiviniemi will address a luncheon meeting with business leaders of Finnish companies operating in Milan.

Italy is the eighth biggest export market for Finland, and ranks at number nine in imports. There are about 80 Finnish companies operating in Italy with Finnish capital - most of them located in North and Central Italy. It is important for Finland to maintain active dialogue with Italy, one of the founder members of the EU.

Minister Kiviniemi will return to Finland on 9 November.

Further information: Juha Pyykkö, Adviser to the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development, gsm +358 40 732 0391