Russia and Italy should consider re-launching the "green corridor" facilitating trade between the two countries, Leonora Barbiani, General Secretary of the Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce, told Sputnik
MILAN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th October, 2019) Russia and Italy should consider re-launching the "green corridor" facilitating trade between the two countries, Leonora Barbiani, General Secretary of the Italian-Russian Chamber of Commerce, told Sputnik.Two days ago, Barbiani was in Moscow for a meeting of a working group that gathers most frequent complaints from Italian companies operating in Russia, as well as Russian companies working in Italy.
"Then we send the bilateral report to our ministries - Italian and Russian - to underline that it's time to resolve these problems or to develop cooperation opportunities," Barbiani said.
Asked what problem was mentioned by companies from both countries most often, she said without hesitation, "Customs."
"There is this old project of a green channel. Maybe it could be renewed," Barbiani said.
In 2013, Italy and Russia signed a protocol on the establishment of the "Green Customs Corridor", which aims to "allow for more streamlined and cost-effective interaction between Italian and Russian customs agencies," according to the Italian Foreign Ministry's website.
Italian companies would also like to learn more about investment opportunities in Russia, Barbiani added.
Italy remains the fifth largest export partner for Russia, with some 4.5 percent of the Russian market, according to the Italian Trade Agency statistics for the first quarter of 2019. Mechanics, chemistry products and pharmaceuticals remain the largest export sectors.
