Business news

MILAN, 9 September (BelTA) – Belarus and Italy will work out a roadmap for bilateral economic cooperation, Belarusian Premier Andrei Kobyakov said at a meeting with President of Lombardy Roberto Maroni in Milan on 9 September, BelTA informs.

“The $2 billion trade we have with Italy today can be increased two or three times. There is an agreement that we will work out a roadmap for the governments of the two countries to address the current issues,” said Andrei Kobyakov.

There are plans to set up the Belarus-Italy Business Cooperation Council in order to intensify relations between the two countries. The Belarusian-Italian trade and economic intergovernmental commission is expected to hold its meeting in January 2016. A delegation of Italian businessmen is set to pay a visit to Belarus in the second half of 2016.

According to Andrei Kobyakov, Belarus views Lombardy as one of its main trading partners in Italy. In 2014 the Belarusian export to Lombardy totaled €13.2 million (14.3% up on 2013). The Belarusian import made up €128.4 million (80.1% as against 2013). Belarus’ main exports included fabric, leather, products of the chemical industry, metals and steel products, forest products. Belarus imported Lombardy’s machinery and equipment, clothes and textile products, synthetic yarn, chemical substances, building materials, metal products.