“Nothing will be the same as before. The US and Europe, thanks to their unparalleled political and economic integration, have the tools to “read” this crisis so that tomorrow’s world can be better than the “normality” that we leave behind “, said Ambassador Varricchio during his speech at an event organized by the American Chamber of Commerce.
The debate was introduced by Luca Anrnaboldi and Simone Crolla, President and Managing Director of the Chamber. Campari’s President Luca Garavoglia and Harvard Business School economist Dante Roscini also participated in the discussion.
The event took place in the wake of the important European Council, during which Italy’s contribution to reach an agreement on the multi-annual budget and Recovery Fund was crucial. The discussion confirmed that Europe and the United States remain the pillars of the post-covid recovery. Shared ideals and values, democracy and the rule of law, investments in research and development, work and corporate culture, open markets: these are the strengths of an Alliance committed to facing complex challenges to its own security.
In this context, the Ambassador underlined that “Italy, a founding country of the EU with a strategic relationship with the US on the political, economic, industrial, technological and cultural levels, can play a crucial role in successfully charting the future and bringing the two sides of the Atlantic closer”.
The strength of relations between Italy and the US has not diminished during the crisis as testified by the Administration’s decision to allocate $ 100 million in support of Italy, by the 50 million Euros donated by American companies and by the numerous demonstrations of solidarity received from every corner of the USA. Particularly appreciated by the American scientific community was the flow of information provided by Italy in the initial phase of the pandemic. The two countries are now engaged together in the development of effective vaccines and therapies.
During his speech, Ambassador Varricchio recalled data on the commercial exchange between Italy and the US (over 100 billion USD in 2019), the total amount of FDIs (70 billion USD), the great interest in Italian technology and innovation and Made in Italy, the tools made available by the Italian government and agencies to support businesses and the “Pact for Export” launched by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 8, 2020.
