Italy

Lazio, a region in motion

Lazio is the most attractive hub for Central Europe and Mediterranean markets

Lazio is ranked high on the list of sought-after locations among international corporate investors. The region is best known abroad for its city of Rome, Italy’s capital and largest city. The key elements that contribute to the region’s attractiveness are its people and its cultural heritage dating back more than 2,000 years. Lazio managed to balance contemporary business mentality with traditional values and offers a strong business environment.

Located in the heart of the Mediterranean trade corridor, Lazio is set to become a major national and international logistics hub, with one of Italy’s most extensive multimodal transportation platforms by air, highway, waterway and rail. Thanks to the expansion of Civitavecchia – Lazio’s principal seaport – and the opening of a Cargo City in Fiumicino – Lazio’s main international airport – travellers are able to make vital connections and businesses are able to grow steadily. In the past five years, container shipments surged to nine million tons a year from about three million tons, due to the huge expansion of trade in the Mediterranean area and the increasing commercial ties with China. In 2005, Fiumicino and Ciampino airports increased their passenger traffic showing a 6% growth compared to the previous year, totalling some 32.4 million passengers.

Over 500 multinational companies have chosen Lazio mainly because of the following factors:

• its proximity to appealing markets such as Central European and Mediterranean countries (with 24 and 93 million inhabitants respectively, of which at least half has considerable purchasing power);
• its highly skilled workforce (especially in the ICT and pharmaceutical sectors);
• its fast and reliable access to local suppliers (continuously more competitive by developing their products and services in terms of quality and price);
• its dynamic cluster of universities and research institutions.

Compared to the national average, Lazio has also shown in recent years higher economic growth (3.8% compared to 1.3%), more employment (+22,000 jobs, 40% of national growth), and tourism figures going up (+15% arrivals and +22.5% stays).

Lazio is ranked as one of the top five EU innovative regions, known internationally for its high-calibre research institutes and attractiveness for the best minds, ideas and businesses. As a result, Lazio has been selected, in April 2006, as the outright winner of FDi’s Western Europe and Italy of the Future 2006/07, the Financial Times group’s prestigious award.

SVILUPPO LAZIO: a Leading Role

Sviluppo Lazio, the Regional Development Agency of Lazio plays a leading role in the regional development agenda. Through the Territorial Marketing Programme, FDI inflows increased and numerous opportunities for investors were identified, that will allow them to set up, expand and consolidate their businesses. In particular, Sviluppo Lazio promotes public-private partnerships by reducing bureaucracy and other public administration obstacles that could cause delays and increase costs.

Sviluppo Lazio’s strengths are represented by sustained timely support and tangible assistance on critical issues, a dynamic environment, a highly skilled human capital and a wide range of expertise. Sviluppo Lazio carries out the implementation of the European Structural Funds-Objective 2 (the EU “Single Programming Documents” Financial Instrument 2000/2006), which provides business incentives and therefore supports Lazio’s development and equitable economic growth, and boosts investments and global partnerships.

KEY FIGURES ON LAZIO

• Population: 5.2 million
• Capital: Rome
• Provinces: Rome, Viterbo, Frosinone, Rieti, Latina
• Gross Regional Product (GRP): €105bn
• GDP per capita: €20,207
• First region in Italy for R&D expenditure, innovation & creativity
• 10% of Italy’s population
• Highest national GRP growth (+3.8% in 2004)
• Italy’s most economically dynamic region
• Europe’s leading region in mobile phone market
• World’s greatest archaeological site
• World’s top visitors’ destination (10m arrivals and 28m presences)
• Central Mediterranean’s largest air traffic hub
• Geo-strategic position in the centre Europe, Middle East and Africa.

 

Contact details:
Tel: +39 06 84568239 / 357
Fax: +39 06 84568380
Email: marketing@agenziasvilippolazio.it
Website: www.sviluppo.lazio.it

 

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