«The Mediterranean is strategic for the industrial future of our country. And not only because of the compatibility of the Italian model of the SME with the industrial network of the North African Countries, but also because in addition to the countries of the Northern Shore and those of the Southern Shore a third actor is now coming through: the Gulf Countries, which are funneling significant financial flows towards North Africa. A new European instrumentation focused on co-development with the Mediterranean Countries is needed» the President of Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo, Fausto Aquino declared during the encounter that took place April 14^th 2014 with Sandro Gozi, Undersecretary of European Policies and the coordination of the activities regarding the Semester of Italian Presidency of the European Union Council that will begin next July 1^st.

«The Mediterranean will be one of the great priorities of the Italian Semester of Presidency at the EU, as repeatedly stressed by Undersecretary Gozi , and we are fully satisfied of this encounter, which announces us a Semester of great vision» Fausto Aquino concluded presenting to the Undersecretary the Position Paper of Confindustria Assafrica & Mediterraneo in which it is emphasized how important it is for the industrial Italian world, and in particular for the SME, that our country and the entire Europe reacquire a central role in the political and socio-economical construction of the Mediterranean of the future.