Berlusconi and Merkel to open HANNOVER MESSE 2010

Berlin, 14 January 2010. Today the official information event kicking off Italy's participation as the Partner Country at HANNOVER MESSE 2010 (19 to 23 April) took place at the Italian Embassy in Berlin.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and German Chancellor Angela Merkel will open HANNOVER MESSE 2010 on the evening of 18 April, underscoring Italy's status as a key player at Germany's major industrial exhibitions. Year after year Italian companies represent the strongest foreign contingent at HANNOVER MESSE, the world's leading technology event, confirming the central role of Italian economic cooperation and trade with Germany.

The key display categories at HANNOVER MESSE are Energy, Automation and Industrial Subcontracting. And the establishment of the new MobiliTec trade fair now puts a special spotlight on electromobility. As one of the seminal technological transformation processes of the coming decades, this will provide a major impetus for the mechanical engineering industry. The entire supply chain is facing a gradual sea change, with the result that subcontracting, mechanical engineering and the energy industry will all need to work together at an early stage to effect the necessary structural transformation. Several thousand companies will be presenting their innovations for leading-edge production at this year's HANNOVER FAIR under the motto of "Efficiency, Innovations, Sustainability".

At the Italian Pavilion, organized by the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE), visitors can discover innovations in transportation - from airplanes and trains to ships and cars - under the aspect of efficiency, reduced environmental impact and the use of sustainable fuels. Group pavilions organized by ICE will underline Italy's technological competence in areas like industrial automation, drive technology and electrical engineering, as Italy already occupies a leading position in these fields.

All of the speakers at the information event in Berlin underscored the significance of Italy's participation as Partner Country. The speakers included the Italian Ambassador to Germany, Michele Valensise, the German Undersecretary for Economics and Technology, Dr. Bernd Pfaffenbach, the Economics Minister for the State of Lower Saxony, Jörg Bode, the President of the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade, Umberto Vattani, and the Chairman of the Managing Board of Deutsche Messe, Dr. Wolfram von Fritsch.

Leading German business and government representatives spoke at the event, including the Undersecretary and Official Representative of the State of Lower Saxony Wolfgang G. Gibowski, the President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) Dr. Werner Schnappauf, the President of the Association of German Electrical and Electronic Manufacturers (ZVEI) Dr. Klaus Mittelbach, the President of the German Wholesaling and Foreign Trade Association (BGA) Anton Börner, and the President of the German Energy Agency Stephan Kohler.

Ambassador Valensise declared that the "selection of Italy as the Partner Country reflects the significance of our industrial technologies and represents an outstanding opportunity to strengthen our economic ties with Germany." She added that the role of Italy as the Partner Country would be enhanced by the simultaneous staging of the Italo-German Government Summit between Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Chancellor Angela Merkel on opening day of the exhibition.

Italy is on center stage at the world's leading technology event in 2010. "We are delighted that Italy is the Partner Country this year at HANNOVER MESSE," commented the Chairman of the Deutsche Messe Managing Board Dr. Wolfram von Fritsch, adding: "Italy is very closely connected to us in the economic, political and cultural sphere. The 'Made in Italy' stamp will be represented in all display sectors and will have a strong impact. A splendid example of this was Korea as the Partner Country for HANNOVER MESSE 2009: Korea achieved an order volume of around 1.7 billion dollars." HANNOVER MESSE is an ideal platform for deepening economic relations, developing new international markets, and promoting business locations.

As President Vattani concluded: "ICE promotes enterprises who are leaders in technological innovation. It is dedicated to the success of Italian companies at exhibitions and supports them at major international events. HANNOVER MESSE is a cutting-edge exhibition. Based on the level of research and creativity of our enterprises, visitors to the Italian Pavilion can witness tomorrow's visions as living reality."