Lombardy and Piedmont strengthen alliance on automotive and semiconductors

(Il Sole 24 Ore Radiocor) - Lombardy and Piedmont are reinforcing the strategic alliance started a year and a half ago with the establishment of the 'North West Economic Cabin' by intensifying collaboration in particular on key issues such as automotive and semiconductors. The aim of the two regions is to network to protect their respective production and economic systems, facilitating synergies between companies, research centres and production chains. From a political-institutional point of view, Lombardy and Piedmont will increasingly join forces on common issues to be brought to national and European tables. Collaboration with Liguria will also resume shortly after the 'pause' due to the elections, giving new impetus to the 'North-West Industrial Triangle'. It should be remembered that Lombardy and Piedmont recently took over the chairmanship of European alliances precisely on automotive and semiconductors: Lombardy leads the Ara (Automotive Regions Alliance), while Piedmont heads the Esra (European Semiconductor Regions Alliance). Within this framework, Lombardy and Piedmont will be proposing two events of European relevance in the coming months: first in Novara where an appointment will be held on the subject of semiconductors, then in Lombardy for an appointment on automotive, with their respective ecosystems so that there will be more and more synergy between the northern regions. From the perspective of the two bodies, this will be a way to put the needs of sectors in need of protection and revitalisation back at the centre of the national and European agenda.

"Let us work together to concretise policies and strategies for interregional supply chains, in the awareness that many economic issues cannot be confined to regional borders. Working as a system between similar regions from an economic point of view means creating new opportunities for our companies, our ecosystems, and our workers, and strengthening shared instances with respect to the interlocution with supra-regional institutions,' said Lombardy Region Councillor for Economic Development Guido Guidesi.

"The car to be regenerated and reinvigorated or in some cases to be reconverted, semiconductors to be strengthened, energy to be ensured at adequate costs, aerospace as a secure growth pillar in the next five years, manufacturing always central to development. We measure ourselves against these challenges and cannot face them alone. That is why we are abandoning our bell towers and moving towards this interregional cooperation with Lombardy and Liguria. I am certain that this is the right path and that it is the path that the entire industrial and craft system wants politics to take. There are many bright spots in the current economy and not everything is going as badly as partial readings seem to indicate. We want to fortify those and support the sectors in crisis in cooperation with the government,' added the Piedmont Region's Councillor for the Development of Productive Activities, Andrea Tronzano. "In this sense, we spoke by telephone with the Minister for Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, who explained the aims of the table with Stellantis on 17 December next, at which the measures that the government is preparing for component companies will be presented. Piedmont, Lombardy and the government also expect clear and sustainable commitments from Stellantis,' Tronzano concluded.