1. The Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad (ICCA): a global network for the internationalization of SMEs Rome, November 15th, 2014 Italian Business Summit Gaetano Fausto Esposito Secretary General Assocamerestero Pina Costa Head of Promotion, Communication & Development Area Assocamerestero

2. DID YOU KNOW THAT…?  The backbone of the Italian economy is represented by the manufacturing sector, which generates approximately the 90% of exports value;  The strongest manufacturing sectors are machinery (which contributes for the 20% to Italian exports), clothing and textiles, organized in industrial clusters;  The great majority (nearly 97%) of Italian enterprises have less than 10 employees. Italian Economy at a glance 1

3. THE TRUTH ABOUT ITALIAN COMPETITIVENESS  Italy is enlisted among the only 5 countries in the world to have a manufacturing trade surplus of more than 100 billion dollars (113 billion dollars, 2 nd in Europe after Germany);  Italy is one of the developed countries that maintained the most the world’s export shares of manufacturing goods (71%, 2 nd after Germany, in the same place with US);  Italy is ranked 11 th among the 20 world leading exporters countries. Sources: 10 Truths about Italian Competitiveness, Fondazione Symbola, Unioncamere, Fondazione Edison; ICE-Istat Report 2013-2014 2

4. Italian Economy at a glance THE TRUTH ABOUT ITALIAN COMPETITIVENESS ITALIAN COMPANIES ARE AMONG THE MOST COMPETITIVE IN THE WORLD 935 PODIUM PRODUCTS OUT OF 5.117 Source: 10 Truths about Italian Competitiveness, Fondazione Symbola, Unioncamere, Fondazione Edison 3

5. FROM «MADE IN» TO «MADE BY» ITALY MADE IN ITALY IS:  NOT A PRODUCT  NOT ONLY A WAY OF LIVING  A STATE OF MIND (ITALY FOLLOWERS) Many people want to live like us, they want to be us, they want to dress like us, and they are willing to spend money to do it “Many people want to live like us, they want to be us, they want to dress like us, and they are willing to spend money to do it” Diego Della Valle, Owner of Tod’s & Fay 4

6. THE ITALIAN COMMUNITIES ABROAD: A «BRIDGE» BETWEEN ITALY AND FOREIGN COUNTRIES  The number of people that have Italian origin in the world is estimated in about 60 millions;  People of Italian origin have contributed to the diffusion of Italian culture, traditions and lifestyle;  That’s why Italian government recognized an important role to Italian communities abroad and to their aggregation forms. 5

7. THE ITALIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ABROAD: MAIN CHARACTERISTICS  Free associations of Italian and local entrepreneurs and professionals: 70% of their 25.000 members comes from countries where the Chambers are rooted;  Their mission is to promote trade and business opportunities for the Italian SME’s;  Reference point for the support of economic and business relations between Italy and foreign countries. 6

8. THE ICCAs IN THE WORLD: THE RIGHT PLACES FOR YOUR BUSINESS 80Chambers of Commerce  80 Chambers of Commerce 54Countries  54 Countries 140Offices  140 Offices 300.000business contacts generated per year  300.000 business contacts generated per year 25.000Members  25.000 Members  1.300 Administrators 500Employees  500 Employees  45 mln euros Annual turnover North America: 9 Central & South America: 21 Europe: 29 Asia: 10 Australia: 5 Africa & Middle East: 6 7

9. THE TWOFOLD NATURE OF THE ICCAs  The Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad have a bi-national nature, fostering the economic interests of both countries - Italy and the country where they operate;  Moreover, they are both associations of entrepreneurs and professionals/consultants and parts of the Italian promotional system of SME’s internationalization: this means that they are private business association but with an institutional vocation defined by an institutional frame. 8

10. THE MAIN CLIENTS/PARTNERS OF THE ICCAs  Italian Chambers of Commerce network;  Professionals and consulting companies;  Small and medium enterprises, in Italy and abroad;  Association of enterprises;  International and Italian exhibitions organizations;  Local institutions. 9

11. THE ITALIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ABROAD: MAIN ACTIVITIES  Information and communication  Information and communication (advertising and media campaigns, publications, web site management);  Training  Training (specialized courses for business managers, courses of Italian commercial language);  Business contacts  Business contacts (business scouting, fairs and trade missions, BtoB meetings, promotion of incoming/outgoing tourism);  Enterprise Assistance  Enterprise Assistance (trade/industrial cooperation, legal aid, tax and customs information, market research);  Networking events  Networking events. 10

12. THE ITALIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ABROAD: BEST PRACTICES  Promotional activities: Eatalian Bio Project.  Promotional activities: Eatalian Bio Project. Focus: promoting Italian biological and organic food in Australia and Japan. Activities: 6 promotional tours in Australia (Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney) and Japan (Osaka, Tokyo) with 2.000 participants involved; incoming importers, suppliers and media from Australia and Japan and business meetings between 150 foreign and Italian enterprises;  Training activities:  Training activities: seminars, workshops & round tables on issues like international trade, IP, business law, with lawyers, counsels, executives;  Technical & Advanced Assistance  Technical & Advanced Assistance: lists of producers, importers, suppliers, selection of partners, corporate and financial information on potential partners, logistic assistance, facilitation of communications in negotiation stage with the support of consultants networks;  Networking events:  Networking events: meetings with local business communities (law firms, business associations, opinion leaders). 11

13. WHAT “VALUE ADDED” THE ICCAs NETWORK CAN OFFER  Identification of the more suitable and reliable business partners;  Development of activities and projects with binational benefits;  “Cultural mediation” in business;  Coordination with all the institutional actors of the promotional system of SMEs internationalization;  Strong ties to the Italian communities abroad. 12

14. PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM 2014 About 300.000 business contacts 2.000 promotional activities Budget estimated: mln/euro 45  60,9% of services covers the development of business contacts between Italian and foreign companies;  19,1% is represented by business customized assistance to SMEs;  10,4% refers to information & communication tools;  6,1% is dedicated to training activities. 13

15. THE ASSOCIATION OF ITALIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE ABROAD: ASSOCAMERESTERO Since 1987, Assocamerestero represents the Italian Chambers of Commerce abroad The ROLE of Assocamerestero:  Information & Communication activities (increase the knowledge and awareness on the ICCA network among Italian and international Institutions and business organizations; collaborate with Italian press and media to improve the network’s exposure);  ICCAs Assistance & Promotion (organize training courses for their staff to keep high quality service standards; booster new business and institutional contacts to help the ICCAs increase their turnover). 14

16. Assocamerestero - Associazione delle Camere di Commercio Italiane all’Estero Via Sardegna, 17 – 00187 Roma Tel.: +39 06 44231314 Fax: +39 06 44231070 @: info@assocamerestero.itinfo@assocamerestero.it Web: www.assocamerestero.itwww.assocamerestero.it