Italy is among the top twenty countries in the OECD area and the third in the European Union area in terms of GDP. Italian production accounts for more than 14% of the EU’s GDP. According to the ISTAT Competitiveness Report, Italy is among the first EU countries when it comes to industrial production. Moreover, the country ranks seventeenth in the European House-Ambrosetti Global Attractiveness Index, and in top positions in the OECD Business Confidence Index.
Due to the characteristics of its production structure, the composition of Italian sectors of economic activity is similar to that of the main European countries, with 27.7% of production derived from manufacturing and construction and almost 70% from services. Within the latter sector, trade, transport and communications absorb a higher share of GDP than the EU average. Improvement in the industrial sector depends largely on the stabilization of internal demand, while recovery was mainly characterized by the exporting sector.
Italy holds more than 2% of global market shares and has achieved a leading position in the EU market (14% of its shares). Italy is in the top positions among the countries with the lowest cost of installation for the biotechnology sector and for product testing in research and development, chemistry and electronics. The most competitive sectors in the country are those with the highest technological content, or with a particular predisposition for exports (pharmaceuticals, beverages, chemicals, the production of machine tools and means of transport, the plastics industry and metallurgy).
Located in the heart of the Mediterranean, Italy represents a crucial hub for road, sea and air connections between the North and South of Europe. The Italian market offers countless opportunities to expanding businesses, with almost 60 million consumers and a GDP that ranks third in Europe. Thanks to its strategic location, Italy allows to easily reach the 442 million consumers in the other European Union states and the 249 million in Northern Africa and the 395 million in the Middle East.
For additional information on business opportunities in Italy, you will find the contact details for the Embassy of Zambia in Rome here.
Business opportunities
The acquisition of information regarding the Italian market and business opportunities with Italy is the first step that foreign operators must take in order to identify areas and forms of investment in Italy. The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) is the body through which the Government promotes the attraction of foreign investments in Italy.
Investment opportunities
Invitalia acts on mandate from the Government with the aim of promoting interesting business opportunities. It represents the single point of contact for foreign investors who wish to create or expand their business in Italy, providing a wide range of services at every stage of the investment.
On the Invitalia website, foreign investors can find all the useful information to seize the most advantageous investment opportunities to create or expand their business in Italy.
On the homepage of the Bank of Italy website there is a link to the publications section through which you can access economic, statistical and monetary policy services on Italy.
Of particular interest for the purposes of an accurate and updated analysis of the national economic framework is the Economic Bulletin in this section, which is updated by the Institute in November and March of each year.
ASSOCAMERESTERO Association that represents the needs and service potential of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad (ICCAs) and seeks collaborations and strategic alliances with public and private entities and institutions – both Italian and international – to foster awareness and use of the ICCA network; (only in Italian)
UNIONCAMERE Union that looks after and represents the general interests of Chambers of Commerce, a reference point for productive sectors, both locally, nationally and internationally; (only in Italian)
EXTENDER Information system promoted in the framework of an agreement between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Union of Italian Chambers of Commerce and the Association of Italian Chambers of Commerce Abroad, for the call of tenders and major projects (only in Italian)
CONFINDUSTRIA Representative organization of manufacturing and service enterprises in Italy which contributes, together with political institutions and national and international economic, social and cultural organizations, to the economic growth and social progress of the country;
CONFAPI Italian Confederation of Small and Medium Industry (only in Italian)
CONFCOMMERCIO Italian General Confederation of Commerce, Tourism, Services and SMEs. It sets community policies for the sector, working with the European Union (only in Italian)
CONFARTIGIANATO Information and representative organization for craft enterprises that supports the development of new businesses through training, information on national and local opportunities and facilities
CNA National Confederation of Handicrafts and Small and Medium Enterprises. An organization representing handicraft enterprises that formulates strategies for the sector and provides an information service on opportunities, programs and calls for tenders proposed by the European Union (only in Italian)
CONFAGRICOLTURA Italian agricultural Confederation that promotes, assists and coordinates economic activities for individual products or production sectors;
Official websites of the Italian regions
Abruzzo
Basilicata
Calabria
Campania
Emilia Romagna
Friuli Venezia Giulia
Lazio
Liguria
Lombardia
Marche
Molise
Piemonte
Puglia
Sardegna
Sicilia
Toscana
Trentino Alto Adige
Umbria
Valle d’Aosta
Veneto