ISTITUTO NAZIONALE PER IL COMMERCIO ESTERO ICE LAW

ISTITUTO NAZIONALE PER IL COMMERCIO ESTERO – ICE ИТАЛИАНСКИ ИНСТИТУТ ЗА ВЪНШНА ТЪРГОВИЯ LAW no. 84 of 23. 3. 2001 Provisions for Italian participation in the Stabilisation, Reconstruction and Development of Balkan Countries 24/10/2020 1

What is Law 84? It is an act that regulates the Italian participation in the stabilisation, reconstruction and development process of the Balkan Countries. Co-ordination of national actions with EU and multilateral initiatives also falls within its province. 24/10/2020 2

Target Countries - Albania - Bosnia-Herzegovina - Bulgaria - Croatia - F. Y. R. O. M. - Republic of Macedonia - the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Montenegro (former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia) - Romania 24/10/2020 3

Ministries and Bodies responsible for the administration - Ministry of Foreign Affairs - Ministry of Production Activities - Ministry of Environment, Regions, Provinces and Communes 24/10/2020 4

Amount of funding - Eur 20, 658, 276 a year - (pertaining to the Foreign Ministry) - over the 2001 -2003 period, allocated to co-operationdeveloping projects - Eur 51, 645, 690 a year over the 20012002 period - Eur 25, 000 for the year 2003 The Balkan Fund is administered by both the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Production Activities and grants are earmarked to businesses promotion and development as well as to co-operation development 24/10/2020 5

- A reserve of Eur 7, 230, 397 a year is set up for projects proposed and managed by Regions and Local Administrations (Provinces and Communes) - Eur 1, 342, 788 for 2001 and Eur 2, 065, 828 a year for 2002 and 2003 respectively for the setting up of a fund for pollution monitoring managed by the Ministry of Environment 24/10/2020 6

Types of actions n n 24/10/2020 Development co-operation (Ministry of Foreign Affairs - MAE): training, technical assistance, development aid and security. Businesses promotion and support (Ministry of Production Activities MAP): information and communication, technical assistance, training, company participations and soft loans, especially in the following sectors: energy environment; services and public utilities; SME development, tourism - protection of the cultural and artistic heritage and of urban patrimony. 7

n 24/10/2020 Decentralised co-operation (Regions and local administrations): training, technical assistance and other fields of action of relevant national interest. 8

Procedure (MAP - Department for Businesses Internationalisationadministered funds) Taking into account the Ministerial Committee’s guidelines, Decree no. 378 of 31 October 2002 has distributed the relevant funds as follows: 24/10/2020 9

n 24/10/2020 To SIMEST which shall grant noninterest bearing loans (for participation in international tenders, trade-penetration programmes, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies related to job orderwinning investment, technical assistance and staff training programmes); shall secure the beneficiaries of the aforesaid grants loan collaterals and subsidiary guarantees (not exceeding 80% of the financing); shall set up an independent and distinct VENTURE CAPITAL fund (with the possibility of a capital participation of up to 40% within a ceiling of Eur 516, 462. 00; alienation within 8 years at current value). 10

n 24/10/2020 To ICE which shall provide technical assistance to businesses; will establish monitoring and information centres in Italy and in Balkan area; shall train young University graduates on internationalisation and foreign trade processes concerning both Italian businesses and the Balkan area; shall start up the Adriatic Feeler or analogous structures. 11

n n 24/10/2020 To INFORMEST which shall sponsor promotional activities for and shall provide assistance to businesses To FDL Servizi srl (the Fiera del Levante limited company - Bari) which shall sponsor promotional activities for and shall provide assistance to businesses 12

n n 24/10/2020 To UNIONCAMERE which will promote and finance projects presented by the Chambers of Commerce or by related experienced and qualified bodies To FINEST Sp. A (Pordenone) which shall set up an independent and distinct VENTURE CAPITAL FUND (with the possibility of a capital participation of up to 40% within a ceiling of Eur 516, 462. 00; alienation within 8 years at current value). 13

Activities to carry out Law 84 n Informest - Balkan on line - a portal that shows investment opportunities and business affairs in the Balkans. - For Bank Bulgaria - training of workers in the banking sector. - Formation of a web of support for the local and italian SME in Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Bulgaria. - BETA - Balkan Experts Training Activity. 24/10/2020 14

n UNIONCAMERE - PAR. S. E. C. C. 8 (Partnership for the Southeastern European Countries Corridor 8). n Fiera del Levante Services - Constitution of the segretariat of the corridor pan-Europe 8. - The system of expositions for economical development and the internationalization of businesses. 24/10/2020 15

More in details ICE’s activities to carry out Law 84 n 24/10/2020 ICE officers based in local authorities of 7 countries: Capacity building and technical assistance in Public Administration in the sectors of the development of the SME, of privatization, of investments in energy infrastructures, of transportation and of environmental. 16

n n n 24/10/2020 Course in international commerce for Business Promoters, 14 representatives from all the countries of the Balkan area. Business Promoters working with the offices of ICE in the Balkan area. Detachment of 3 ICE experts working with multilateral institutions that operate in the Balkans. 17

n n 24/10/2020 Balcani On Line web portal. Project proposals by other bodies (chambers of commerce, industrial association). 18

ICE officers based in local authorities (In Bulgaria: Ministry of Economy ) Main tasks: n n n 24/10/2020 To be a link among local institutions, ICE office, ICE headquarters in Italy, italian economic system. To act as business scuoters of the new business opportunities and transfer them to italian firms. To act as consultant for local authorities in order to create a business environment suitable to FDI. 19

n n 24/10/2020 To favour italian investments in Bulgaria advising italian investors on investments types. To increase utilization of international funds (EU, WB, BERS) by italian actors. 20

Business Promoters Nationals of 7 balkan countries with knowledge of local economic system and with related background will monitor country’s medias in order to discover local business offers. 24/10/2020 21

ICE officers in international organizations Tasks: n n 24/10/2020 To understand country strategy of different organizations and of their founding instruments. To increase utilisation by italian economic system of international funds. 22

Balcani on line web portal n 24/10/2020 Will provide all informations, news on ICE staff working on the Law 84 and their activities: seminars, investment opportunities, privatizations n Tenders in the 7 countries n How to contact ICE staff 23

Project proposals by external bodies like chambers of commerce and/or industrial associations were present (not yet approved) in the field of: n n 24/10/2020 Multiutilities Service center for firms Franchising in retail network Training on tourism in the area of corridor n. 8 24

Contact detail: n n 24/10/2020 ICE Sofia Dr. Giovanni Sacchi, Director Bul. Patriarh Evtimii, 27 1040 Sofia Tel: +359 2 9861574 Fax: 9817346 E-mail sofia@ice. it ICE ROMA Agostino Ambrogetti, ICE Officer in Bulgaria for Law 84 Via Liszt, 21 00144 Roma Tel: +39 06 59929295 E-mail a. ambrogetti@ice. it 25