Case Studies

Switzerland

Brand focus: Arthemia

The canton of Grisons is the largest and easternmost of the 26 cantons of Switzerland. The canton shares borders with the cantons of Ticino, Uri, Glarus and St. Gallen and international borders with Italy, Austria and Liechtenstein. It is also the only canton officially trilingual (German, Romansh and Italian).

Agriculture and tourism are the mainstays of the economy of the canton. Actually the Canton is a very popular tourist destination , rich in always sought after towns, especially the City of Davos, Arosa, Laax, St. Moritz, Pontresina and all the Engadine area. About 60% of the population of the canton is employed in the tourism sector.

Davos, one of the most famous places of the canton deserves superlatives adjectives : this holiday destination with an international ambience is the largest resort in the Alps for mountain holidays, sport and conferences. At 1560 m above sea level, is the highest town in the Alps and a health resort with a long tradition.

The resort is also well- known around the world because it hosts the annual World Economic Forum, a meeting between the main political leaders and major economic leaders.

Kazakhstan

Brand focus: Arthemia

Kazakhstan is a transcontinental state , in between Europe and Asia. The river Aral is generally considered as the border between the two continents.
With an area of 2.7 million square kilometers , Kazakhstan is the ninth country in the world by surface area . Its population amounts to 15,233,244 inhabitants.
In terms of natural resources, Kazakhstan is among the countries with the highest per capita wealth in the world (approx. $ 14,000 of GDP per capita). Overall, the Kazakh economy is growing steadily . Over the last decade, GDP actually grew by 8 times (from USD 17 billion to USD 146.5 billion).

In 1990 Kazakhstan proclaimed its independence, two years later its relations with Italy improved significantly. A Treaty on Strategic Partnership was signed during the visit of President Nazarbayev in Rome November 5, 2009, as a basis for strengthening the Italian economic interests in the Country.

In the European Union, Italy is the second exporting Country in Kazakhstan after Germany. Worldwide, Italian export with Kazakhstan is on sixth position, with more than 900 million of exports in 2012 (more than 70% of the whole ‘ exports in Central Asia), almost increased fivefold in 10 years.

Macedonia

Brand focus: Arthemia

The Republic of Macedonia is a country on the Balkan peninsula in south-eastern Europe. It is bordered on the west by Albania, on the east by Bulgaria, on the north by Serbia and Kosovo and on the south by Greece.

Since 2001, the year of the signing of the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU, the Country begins the process of European integration and it is currently in negotiations for the final stage of the adhesion process.

Trade exchange between Italy and Macedonia is growing over the last 10 years; in three years, in 2005-2008, the value of trade has doubled to 711.6 million dollars. The Italian trade balance with Macedonia is almost always positive with the exception of the years 2006 and 2007. The Italian products enjoy a very positive image in Macedonia; this especially in regard to the food items.

Romania

Brand focus: Antica Gelateria del Corso  l Arthemia l Miscela D’Oro

Romania is located in South Eastern Europe, north of the Balkan Peninsula. With an area of 238,391 square meters. It is the eighth European Country in terms of geographical extension. The population is of 19.04 million inhabitants.

According to the data of NSI (National Statistics Institute), the value of Gross Domestic Product in the first half of 2012 was 248.6 billion of Lei (the Romanian currency). The value of GDP in the euro in the first half of 2012 was 56.6 billion.

Italy continues to be, for over 10 years, the main investor Country in Romania by number of companies, and holds the seventh place among the top investors for investment.

Italian entrepreneurs were among the first investors to foresee the opportunities offered by Romania in the period immediately following the 1989 revolution, when the country was opened to the free market.

The Italian business presence is now widespread throughout the Country, although the data still show a certain concentration in areas of the Country that have been affected by the first Italian investments. Among these is the significant presence of our traditional business in the North West, particularly in Timis county, where it has been reproduced a real Italian district model with over 2,612 Italian and mixed capital companies.

Turkey

Brand focus: Toschi

The Republic of Turkey is a contiguous transcontinental country, located mostly on Anatolia in Western Asia, and on East Thrace in Southeastern Europe. Turkey is bordered by eight countries: Bulgaria to the northwest; Greece to the west; Georgia to the northeast; Armenia, Iran and the Azerbaijani exclave of Nakhchivan to the east; and Iraq and Syria to the southeast. The Mediterranean Sea is to the south; the Aegean Sea is to the west; and the Black Sea is to the north. The Sea of Marmara, the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles (which together form the Turkish Straits) demarcate the boundary between Thrace and Anatolia; they also separate Europe and Asia. Turkey’s location at the crossroads of Europe and Asia makes it a country of significant geostrategic importance.

The Turkish economy has experienced a significant expansion in recent years. The International Monetary Fund classifies Turkey among the more developed countries of the world. The country is a founding member of the OECD (1961) and G20 (1999).

In 2013, the level of Italian exports is maintained at record levels of 2011 ($ 13.4 billion), allowing a positive balance of about 7 billion. The Italian entrepreneurial activity is also well established in the country: the Italian companies amount to 975 and the level of foreign direct investment has grown by 50 percent.