2026 Private General Assembly and Public General Assembly of Confindustria Est Europa, Rome, 23 June 2026
Rome hosted the 2026 Private General Assembly and Public General Assembly of Confindustria Est Europa, the Federation bringing together eight Confindustria associations active in Central and Eastern Europe: two complementary moments devoted respectively to internal discussion on the growth of the network and to reflection on the economic, industrial and geopolitical prospects of the region.
The public session, held in the splendid setting of the Residence of the Embassy of Romania in Rome, brought together diplomatic representatives of the countries in which the Federation operates, Presidents and Directors of the CEE representative offices, institutions, partners and Italian companies active in Central and Eastern Europe.
Our sincere thanks go to H.E. Gabriela Dancãu, Ambassador of Romania to Italy, for her warm welcome and for hosting this important moment of dialogue and exchange. Romania is today one of Italy's most significant strategic partners in the region and a natural bridge between Central Europe, the Balkans and the Black Sea. In her address, the Ambassador recalled how the relationship between Italy and Romania is a concrete example of a win-win partnership: “In the relationship between Italy and Romania, the win-win concept is a concrete reality: the success of Romanian entrepreneurship strengthens the Italian economic engine, while Italian know-how supports the international growth of Romanian companies. This cooperation is not confined to words; it is a strategy of shared development, capable of generating value for both countries.”
In his address, President Patrizio Dei Tos stressed that Central and Eastern Europe is no longer merely a geographical area, but an increasingly integrated economic and industrial reality, capable of generating value, investment and new opportunities for Italian companies. With a combined population of over 95 million, trade with Italy that exceeded 95 billion euro in 2025 (+2.5% on 2024) and Italian exports above 50 billion euro, Central and Eastern Europe confirms its place as one of the strategic axes of European competitiveness. In the first months of 2026, trade in the area continued to grow by 2.1%, confirming the solidity of economic and industrial relations between Italy and the region.
“Central and Eastern Europe is no longer merely a reference market, but an essential component of European manufacturing chains and of Italian industrial competitiveness. Today competitiveness does not depend on physical infrastructure alone, but on the ability to build interoperability, digitalisation, energy security, administrative efficiency and industrial integration. In a word: soft connectivity”— Patrizio Dei Tos, President of Confindustria Est Europa
Adriano Ippoliti, of the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, drew attention to the need for a long-term European industrial vision, able to govern the four great transitions that are redefining the continent's competitiveness: demographic, geopolitical, digital and green. An approach that connects directly with the work carried out within the European Union's Competitiveness Council, the IPCEIs – Important Projects of Common European Interest – and European State aid policy.
“European competitiveness is built through an industrial strategy able to govern four great transitions: demographic, geopolitical, digital and green.”— Adriano Ippoliti, Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy
Alessandro Paoli, Head of International at UniCredit, likewise underlined how the new economic context calls for a different balance between efficiency, resilience and security of production chains: “Companies today are called upon to find a new balance between efficiency and security. That is why it is essential to strengthen relations with nearby markets, integrated with our industrial system and marked by strong logistical and cultural affinity with Italy.
Through its network of eight national associations, Confindustria Est Europa continues to develop its mission as a regional platform connecting companies, territories and institutions along one of the continent's most important growth corridors, from the Adriatic to the Baltic, from the Balkans to the Black Sea.
Our thanks go to our partners UniCredit, official partner CEE, and Leyton, Innovation partner, to the associations belonging to the Federation and to the companies and institutions present — among them Ansaldo Nucleare Romania, Saipem, Intesa Sanpaolo, UPS Italia, Regione Lazio, Regione Abruzzo and Technology Reply Romania, represented by the President of Confindustria Romania Andrea Allocco — for their contribution to strengthening economic relations between Italy and Central and Eastern Europe.
The Private General Assembly was also an important occasion for the Federation's member associations to take stock of the results achieved, the strategic priorities for the period ahead, the evolution of the network and the strengthening of Confindustria Est Europa's presence in the countries of the region.
“Companies are asking for fewer declarations and more projects. Fewer generic missions and more industrial partnerships. More investment, more innovation, more collaboration between institutions, the financial system and companies. This is the direction we intend to take together” — with these words President Dei Tos closed the Assembly.
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