by InTrieste
Interview: FVG counclor for tourism and production works, Sergio Emidio Bini
As Italy continues to court American investors, the Friuli Venezia Giulia region positioned itself as a key player on Friday during the SelectUSA Roadshow, a U.S. government initiative aimed at encouraging Italian companies to expand into the United States.
Speaking at the Trieste stop of the national tour, Sergio Emidio Bini, the regional councillor for productive activities, said that under the current regional administration, opportunities to strengthen cooperation with the United States “have continued to grow year after year,” supported by a long-term strategy that has already produced partnerships with the National Italian American Foundation and the Commonwealth of Virginia.
The United States is the region’s largest non-European export market, with annual manufacturing exports exceeding €2.2 billion. Bini argued that the relationship is mutually beneficial, noting that Friuli Venezia Giulia can offer “advantageous investment opportunities” to American companies. “It’s a win-win situation, and one we believe should be further consolidated,” he said.
Addressing an audience that included numerous representatives of U.S. business organizations, Bini emphasized the region’s role as a strategic logistics hub “in the heart of Europe,” pointing in particular to the international importance of the port of Trieste as a gateway to Eastern European markets.
He also highlighted measures aimed at attracting new investors, including the work of local economic development consortia, regional incentives for new business settlements, and tax advantages linked to the regional credit-access system. Several American multinationals—particularly in research and innovation—have already chosen Friuli Venezia Giulia as a base for new ventures, he noted. Bini also cited the role of SelectFVG, the regional investment promotion agency, in supporting companies and investors.
The Trieste event followed earlier stops in Milan and Vicenza. Organized with support from the U.S. Commercial Service in Italy, the roadshow offered Italian participants direct information on investment climates across various American states and facilitated meetings between U.S. economic development agencies and local investors.
