In the spirit of autonomy and synergy, this morning at the Lilly campus in Sesto Fiorentino, a meeting took place between institutions and businesses to address global challenges and strengthen the competitiveness of the national system. The discussion centered on the necessity of enhancing strategic synergies to consolidate the strategic autonomy of Europe and its member states to ensure resilience to external events and increase competitiveness, as well as to impact sectors like Life Science, promoting equitable and timely access to healthcare to enhance Italy’s attractiveness and ensure the best innovations for citizens’ health.
“It is very important to move on an interrelational and dialogue level,” said the President of the Region, Eugenio Giani, during his speech. “Here today at Lilly, we have industrial giants with origins and ownership in the United States that have made investments, bringing wealth and employment to our country. Tuscany is positioned as a reality that, in 2024, will contribute 64 billion to exports, with a 12 percent increase in exports to the United States.”
After thanking those present for their actions and investments, Giani pointed out “how historically misplaced it is to approach this dialogue and develop this relationship in the presence of tariffs and customs; it means conceiving a relationship in exactly the opposite way of how it should be. Tuscany, when it was a state governed by Pietro Leopoldo, was the first in Europe to abolish tariffs: back then it was about cereals, and we overcame all famines: I would like Trump to receive these messages with great force. The interrelation with the Region, the Metropolitan City, and the Municipality of Sesto Fiorentino is so open that right here we have given up a high school, spending 17 million to rebuild it in the scientific university hub, in order to make space for Lilly Italia’s productions.”
During the meeting, President Giani also recalled “the allocation of 10 million for the development and innovation call for foreign companies investing in Tuscany, as a concrete demonstration of our willingness. Strategic autonomies allow for a reduction of vulnerabilities and a strengthening of capacities in areas like health, energy, technology, and industry. The synergy between institutions and businesses is the key to building an ecosystem that creates value for both commercial exchange with the United States and bilateral investment flows.”
“Participating in an international dialogue of this significance – concluded Giani – demonstrates Tuscany’s desire to continue finding forms of collaboration between the two sides of the Atlantic. Supporting European strategic autonomy also means valuing the skills and supply chains that continue to believe in and invest in our territory, promoting development, employment, and competitiveness.”
