Invitalia English Version

1. A strategic position in Europe and in the Mediterranean Sea
By virtue of its strategic location in the heart of the Mediterranean Sea, Italy is the main thoroughfare linking southern Europe to northern and central Europe by land, sea and air. It provides a gateway affording easy access to 436 million consumers across the European Union, and a further 240 million in Northern Africa and the Middle East.

2. A wide network of infrastructures
Companies deciding to invest in Italy can rely on a wide infrastructure network. Italian roads cover approximately 1 million km, making them the second longest network in the EU 25, after France. The network as a whole includes about 6,500 km of motorways, representing 13.7% of all motorways in the EU (25). The Italian rail network has 16,300 km of track, making it the fifth longest in the EU (25). With an evolved system of international ports, logistics platforms and interports, Italy ranks as the second most important country in Europe for maritime freight, and the second also for passenger transport: 263 ports scattered along 7,400 km of coastline, 80 million passengers per year, port traffic of 550 thousand ships.

3. A friendly business environment
  Following a thorough reform of Italian corporate law in 2003, the legal framework for companies can now be considered one of the most modern and dynamic in Europe. During the past years, Italy has been implementing a broad reform of the Italian corporate tax system and the corporate income tax rate is now reduced to 27,5% .

4. Countless opportunities for expanding companies
Italy is ranked 6th among OECD countries and 4th among European countries for Gross Domestic Product with a value of more than 1.7 trillion in 2008. With a potential market of almost 60 million consumers, for innovative services (more than 25 million internet users) and products, the Italian market offers countless opportunities to businesses in expansion in strategic sectors: logistics, ICT, life sciences, renewable energies, tourism.

5. Facilities and support for foreign companies
Invitalia comprises a single and reliable national reference point for foreign investors eager to expand or to set up a new business in Italy by providing a free of charge spectrum of services for all stages of the investment process: updated detailed information on the business environment, investment  opportunities in specific sectors and business advisory services throughout the implementation process.

6. Know-how system
Innovation in Italy is driven by an extensive network of high-quality universities and public and private institutions and by a modern network of science and technological parks, which ensure that research is widely integrated into industrial processes.
Italy has a long and acclaimed tradition of excellence in many fields, including medicine, biomedical technology, instrumental and precision engineering, robotics, micro-electronics, ICT, aerospace, new materials and nanotechnology.
The quality of the country's research is borne out by its high level of scientific output, its constantly rising expenditure on R&D, its high productivity and high level of internationalisation.

7. High qualified human resources
Companies investing in Italy can rely on an average of 300,000 graduates per year (Source: Minister of University and Research).
A survey conducted by Ipsos Explorer in February 2008 of 60 multinational companies operating in Italy, highlights that top foreign multinationals located in Italy benefit from sector-specific technical and managerial skills and patents/know-how (55%) as well as the capacity to set trends in different industries, such as fashion and design (53%).

8. Quality of life and lifestyle
Italy Italy ranks sixth as the world's top country brand in the Country Brand Index 2009, the international survey of the image of more than 40 countries in the world. Experts say: “Italy markets the very best of itself well: the cradle of gourmet cuisine, and art, the romance of Venice, the history of Rome, the art and culture of Florence, the exclusivity of the south and even the beauty of its people.”

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