Minister Senasinghe speaks to Italian Chambers in Milan

On a promotional visit on enhancing Sri Lanka’s exports to the EU under GSP Plus concessions and the investment potentials at large, Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe met the Chamber heads in Milan this week.

Having a meeting with Daniela Cavagna, the President of Small Industry Chamber known as the CNA Milan, he explained the vast opportunities available for their members particularly on transferring technology to Sri Lanka through exchanging industry and exporters’ delegations in future. It was agreed to exchange tailor made sector information of Sri Lanka prior to such visits. 

Also, the minister met with Dr. Fabrizio Sala, the Vice President of Regione Lombardia, a regional trade chamber had a lengthy discussion on plethora of potentials of Sri Lanka in both trade and investments and the services sectors including air travel. At this meeting he mentioned that Sri Lanka is the gate way to the Asian and the world specially having the opportunity to supply for 4.5 billion market surrounded by in the region by utilizing the tariffs concessions available under various FTAs and schemes like GSP Plus that Sri Lanka is the member or the beneficiary. He further mentioned that Sri Lanka is the only country that has got the opportunity at a time to enter the markets such as EU, the USA, China and India at the same time on duty concessions basis.

On the same day the minister visited and met Dr. Pietro Sala, Vice President of Assolombarda Confindustria Milano and Dr. Federico Bega, Head of Strategic Areas of the Milan Chamber of Commerce and Industries and the Promose of Milan. 

In that meeting minister explained in detailed on the new political culture and the new democratic era being created in Sri Lanka after coming in to power a unity government focusing on good governance and policy reforms. 

He went on sharing that the details on the industrial parks that are being initiated in Sri Lanka aiming country-specific industries like from Japan and other Asian investors to Sri Lanka and invited Italian technology in the areas of electrical and electronic sectors and boatbuilding industry. 

He also explained the huge opportunities created to Italian and European importers under GSP Plus concessions mainly in apparel, and fisheries imports. Booming industry of tourism in Sri Lanka and related investment opportunities also discussed aiming regular and long term promotional programmes in this Italian market. 

 During the day the minister had the opportunity also to meet an industrial pioneer, Luciano Fantuzzi, President of Fantuzzi Group and his consultant Michael Drewitt to discuss over transformation of heavy machinery technology to Sri Lanka on joint venture basis.

The minister is also expected to address the Sri Lanka business forum in Milan, tomorrow arranged by the Embassy of Sri Lanka in Italy, EDB, in association with Associazione Italiana Commercio Estero called AICE in Milan. Minister Senasinghe was accompanied in these series of meetings by Daya S.J Pelpola (PC),Sri Lanka’s  Ambassador to Italy, Jeevani Siriwardena, DG/EDB and Somasena Mahadilulwewa, Minister (Commercial) of the Embassy.