by InTrieste
Friuli Venezia Giulia is seeking to strengthen economic ties with the United States and attract new investment through closer cooperation between Italian regional governments and American states, the region’s governor said Wednesday.
Massimiliano Fedriga, who also chairs Italy’s Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces, outlined the strategy during a meeting in New York with executives from major Italian industrial, banking and financial groups operating in the United States. He said the region plans to organize a special New York edition of Selecting Italy, a national initiative designed to connect Italian regions with potential investors.
The meeting, held during an official regional mission to the United States, included regional Labor and Education Councilor Alessia Rosolen, representatives of companies including JPMorgan Chase, Intesa Sanpaolo, MSC, Pirelli and Armani, and Barbara Cimmino, vice president of Confindustria, Italy’s main business association.
The United States remains a major trading partner for Italy. Bilateral trade reached $118 billion in 2025, an increase of 8.6 percent from the previous year, according to Italy’s Trade Agency, known as ICE. Trade grew a further 5 percent in the first seven months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier, according to Italy’s Foreign Ministry.
Friuli Venezia Giulia has significant commercial ties with the American market. Regional exports to the United States reached €2.35 billion, accounting for 12.3 percent of the region’s total exports and making the country its second-largest export destination, according to data from the Pordenone-Udine Chamber of Commerce based on national statistics. Imports from the United States totaled €107.6 million, leaving the region with a trade surplus of €2.24 billion.
The region also maintains an established corporate presence on both sides of the Atlantic. According to the Reprint database, 56 investors from Friuli Venezia Giulia hold stakes in 76 American companies across 21 states, with New York hosting the largest concentration. Meanwhile, 66 companies in the region have American ownership.
Fedriga said the region intended to build on those connections by promoting its industrial expertise, innovation and logistics infrastructure, with the aim of turning institutional dialogue into concrete investment and business opportunities.
