On 6 May 2025 Zagreb hosted the Croatia–Italy Business Forum, a significant institutional appointment aimed at strengthening economic ties between the two countries, attended by Foreign Ministers Gordan Grlić-Radman and Antonio Tajani.
Held at the headquarters of the Croatian Chamber of Economy (HGK), the forum saw the participation of numerous Italian and Croatian businesses, with an agenda focused on strategic themes such as the energy transition, infrastructure development and industrial cooperation between the two shores of the Adriatic.
Confindustria Est Europa took part with its own institutional address, represented by President Patrizio Dei Tos, who underlined Croatia's strategic importance as a natural partner along the Adriatic-Ionian axis and renewed the Federation's commitment to building “stable and structured bridges” for Italian companies in the Balkan area.
Among the activities linked to the Forum, on 5 May a Memorandum of Understanding was signed between Confindustria Est Europa and the Italian-Croatian Chamber of Commerce (CCIC). The agreement provides for collaboration aimed at strengthening the internationalisation of Italian and Croatian companies, with particular attention to the circulation of information, operational support and the joint organisation of promotional and institutional initiatives.
Also taking part in the Forum were Anna Mareschi Danieli, President of Confindustria Slovenia and Vice-President of Confindustria Est Europa, with an address on the prospects for industrial integration in the region; Marco Marconi, member of the General Council of Confindustria Est Europa and Past President of Confindustria North Macedonia; Marco La Peruta, member of the General Council of Confindustria Est Europa and of the General Council of Confindustria Serbia, representing the SIAD Group; and Irena Brajović, Director General of Confindustria Est Europa and Director of Confindustria Serbia — testimony to the active role of the Confindustria System's representative network in the Balkans.
Trade between Italy and Croatia reached 8.3 billion euro in 2024. Italian exports to the country have doubled in five years, exceeding 5.6 billion, and Italy is today Croatia's second supplier with a 12% market share. More than 300 Italian companies operate permanently on Croatian territory.
Confindustria Est Europa will continue to work to strengthen synergies between companies, institutions and territories, promoting a strategic vision of economic and industrial cooperation between Italy and South-Eastern Europe.
Special thanks to our Official Partner UniCredit and to Alessandro Paoli, Head of UniCredit International Center Italy, for their constant support of Confindustria Est Europa's activities and of the internationalisation of Italian companies.
