21 March 2016 - Enterprise industrialisation, protocol of understanding signed between Umbria Regional Authority and Chambers of Commerce

Agenzia Umbria Notizie - Perugia, 19 March 2016

To rationalise and simplify public structures to support the internationalisation of the Umbrian productive system, by ensuring the activities run by the Centro Estero Umbria [Umbria Foreign Centre] in Sviluppumbria, the multi-functional agency of the Umbria Regional Authority, merge together in a continual operative context. This was the objective behind the protocol of understanding signed between the Umbria Regional Authority, represented by the vice chairman of the regional Council and councillor for the competitiveness of the productive system, Fabio Paparelli, and the Chambers of Commerce of Perugia and Terni, represented by their presidents, Giorgio Mencaroni (Perugia)and Giuseppe Flamini (Terni). The Vice chairman Paparelli made the announcement.

The understanding, which arose from the comparison begun, from the very beginning of the new legislation, with the two Chambers of Commerce (founding members of the Centre together with the Regional Authority), defines the respective competencies following the withdrawal of the Umbria Regional Authority from the Centro Estero Umbria, in the process to strengthen the regional policies on internationalisation and the reorganisation of the agencies and instrumental bodies, including Sviluppumbria, which will have a very active role in implementing the regional programme Fesr 2014-2020 as intermediary organisation for part of the actions for the competitiveness of businesses. We have been identified as the main activator of actions of internationalisation of Umbrian enterprises.

“This reorganisation, said the Vice president, Paparelli, is a further piece of the jigsaw in a constant process of reform, aiming to adapt the tools in support of the enterprises to an economic phase of recovery, where the processes of internationalisation, innovation and research are fundamental pieces.”

The Regional Authority and the Chambers of Commerce of Perugia and Terni will renew their participation in the Centro Estero Umbria for 2016 by paying the association shares to guarantee not only the operational management of the Foreign Centre to close the activities regarding the previous years, but also the continuity of employment for the personnel.

The Regional Authority undertakes to follow certain measures so that Sviluppumbria can activate the procedures, consistent with th legislative framework, for the definitive transfer of the activities and personnel of the Centro Estero to Sviluppumbria by 30 September 2016.

The resources given by the members to manage the activities of the Centro Estero Umbria regarding the financial years prior to 2016, will be reused not only to handle the activities of transitory management, but also to support the internationalisation of Umbrian enterprises.

The protocol of understanding sets out the activities to support internationalisation managed directly by the Umbria Regional Authority, such as the handling of public announcements for enterprise networks and the promotion and funding of entrepreneurial formats inspired by the model “Casa Umbria” already successfully experimented.

Sviluppumbria will manage the operational activities, from the system missions aiming to develop an integrated promotion of businesses on the foreign markets to support participation in specific trade fairs and international exhibitions identified as strategic within the regional programme, from programmes of internationalisation of business clusters to the activation of “regional flagship projects” for key sectors in the regional economy.

The Chambers of Commerce of Perugia and Terni will address and give impetus to internationalisation in the Political Strategic committee for internationalisation, where they are represented together with the Regional Authority. They undertake within the context of the regional programme to manage a tool that aims to support businesses to take part in national and international trade fair events and in promoting via the system of enterprises the opportunities linked to raising the bar for internationalisation.