Amb. D'Alessandro, Italy and France central to the future of the EU

(ANSA) - ROMA, 17 DIC - Italy and France in this new cycle of the EU legislature 'can and must work together on a whole series of sectors, from enlargement to the development of a true defence industry, from the governance of the eurozone to a new industrial policy and competitiveness. Areas in which there are many points of convergence, also because the two economies are deeply integrated and complementary'. Ambassador to Paris Emanuela D'Alessandro told ANSA on the sidelines of the Ambassadors' Conference.
    The ambassador recalled that "for us France is the leading investor in the world, with a widespread presence of 2,400 companies that employ 350,000 people in Italy". At the same time, 'Italy is a country that has invested a lot in France with about 2,000 companies present'. There are 'interconnected sectors and there is a very high trade interchange,' he added.
    France also welcomed the two reports by Mario Draghi and Enrico Letta on competitiveness and strengthening the internal market requested by the EU Commission. Paris considers them 'a very important contribution by Italy, drawn up by two former Council presidents, and many of the positions expressed in the two reports are not only shared, including by President Macron, but we will try to put them into practice. So,' noted Ambassador D'Alessandro, 'even from that point of view there can be important convergences'.