An alliance between Italia and France on industry

The 36th Franco-Italian Summit in Antibes was a significant event for cooperation between Italia and France, which was immediately reflected in the joint action taken by our governments as part of the reform process in Europe.

It is against this backdrop that the “fashion round table” will take place next Wednesday at the Ministry of Enterprise and Made in Italy, where we will jointly present the roadmap for establishing an Italia-France Fashion Pact, as also highlighted by the memorandum of understanding signed by the National Chamber of Fashion and the French “Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode”, specifically at the Antibes summit. This pact could then serve as a model for other sectors where a shared industrial ecosystem already exists.

Together with the trade associations representing the fashion industry, we intend to work towards consolidating the industrial supply chain, including in terms of social sustainability and legal compliance, as well as collaborating on specific areas that characterise the sector, such as fashion weeks, high-end and luxury brands, the promotion of young designers, sustainable development, local production, training, the fight against counterfeiting and the protection of intellectual property. To this end, we have also combated the phenomenon of so-called ‘ultra-fast fashion’ by supporting the introduction, within the European Union, of a fixed customs tariff of 3 euros on parcels worth less than 150 euros originating from non-EU countries, which came into force on 1 July. In France, a law aimed at reducing the environmental impact of the textile industry – drawn up jointly with the European Commission – was enacted on 8 July. This measure will be supplemented, from 1 November, by a European tax of 2 euros, which will replace any similar national measures still in force.

In this regard, the supply chain pact we intend to establish in the fashion sector – which embodies the excellence and quality of our industrial system, combined with universally recognised creativity – serves to strengthen European manufacturing, promote the value of labour, support investment and ensure more balanced relationships throughout the value chain.

Let’s start with fashion, because it is not merely an economic sector but an expression of Italy’s and France’s national industrial identity, as demonstrated by major, world-renowned brands that rely on an extraordinary supply chain comprising small and medium-sized enterprises, which must be protected and promoted.