Federation of Industry president Adrian Bajada delivered a presentation on investment and external trade in Malta during a round table meeting of the Mediterranean Economic Forum.

The forum, entitled “Crossing Mare Nostrum” was held in Palermo in February. It was organised by Confindustria, the Union of Mediterranean Confederations of Enterprises (UMCE), of which the FOI is a founding member, the Italian Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Italian Productive Activities Ministry, the Italian Institute for Foreign Trade and the Italian Institute for Industrial Promotion

The forum aimed to reinforce economic integration in the region and facilitate business cooperation between the Italian enterprises and the delegates of the other 13 southern Mediterranean countries taking part.

UMCE’s first “Competitiveness Day” was also launched during this event. There was a focus on the importance of the Euro-Mediterranean free trade area, as this is the only way to establish a stable, peaceful and prosperous Mediterranean.

In this era of globalisation, the main challenge is competitiveness, particularly with other economic regions.

UMCE president and president of the Turkish Employers’ Confederation, Ömer Sabanci, delivered a speech in which he announced the organisation of similar events in Spain, France, Portugal and Greece.

UMCE also held an extraordinary meeting for the Presidents of its members, including Mr Bajada, which mainly focused on a joint declaration between UMCE and Confindustria inaugurating the official membership of Confindustria in UMCE as an observing member.