Italy-Turkey Economy Forum took place in Istanbul

Italy-Turkey Economy Forum aiming at creating new prospects of cooperation by bringing Turkish and Italian companies together, took place on May 2nd  & 3rd, 2012 in Istanbul . The forum included sectoral seminars on energy/renewable energy and mechanical industry,  and B2B meetings.

The Forum was organized collaboratively by ICE (Italian Center of Commerce - Italian Trade Promotion Agency ), Commercial Department of the General Consulate of Italy, CONFINDUSTRIA (Confederation of Italian Industries), ABI (Italian Banking Association), UNIONCAMERE (Union of the Italian Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Handicraft), RETE IMPRESE ITALIA (Union of Small Traders and Artisan of Italy), TÜSİAD,  Investment Support and Promotion Agency of Turkey (ISPAT-TYDTA), The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Foreign Economic Relations Board of Turkey (DEİK), Independent Industrialists and Businessmen's Association (MÜSİAD), The Confederation of Turkish Tradesmen and Craftsmen (TESK).

Honorary President of the TÜSİAD International Mr.  Aldo Kaslowski delivered a speech during the opening session of the forum. Mr. Kaslowski observed that TÜSİAD and its Italian counterpart  CONFINDUSTRIA have been collaborating for nearly 20 years. Mr. Kaslowski noted that during the visit to Rome in June 2011 the purpose of which was to add new dimensions and to give a thrust to the bilateral economic relations,  TÜSİAD and CONFINDUSTRIA agreed on the development of collaboration on a sectoral and regional basis and started a new initiative. He underlined that observing the Forum  to germinate from this initiative and to become a well-attended event with many stakeholders is very gratifying for TÜSİAD. Mr. Kaslowski noted also that partnerships among SMEs are crucial for the development of the bilateral economic relations.

During the opening session, Mr. Massimo Vari, Undersecretary of the  Italian Ministry of Economic Development  and Deputy Undersecretary of the Turkish Ministry of Economy Mr.  Cemalettin Damlacı have spoken.

In the seminar organized within the framework of the forum and titled  “Energy and Industrial Practice in Turkey” Mr. Giuseppe Farina, member of the Executive Committee of the TÜSİAD International, made a presentation about the current status of the energy market in Turkey.

The second day of the forum was devoted to B2B meetings between companies with a view to boost economic ties between Italy and Turkey and to explore prospects of  industrial cooperation.