Jan. 7 – The Symbola Foundation, chaired by Ermete Realacci, is releasing its 2015 dossier: “L’Italia in 10 selfie. Cambiare lo sguardo per sfidare la crisi.” Among the different elements, it emerged that Italy is one of the only five countries in the world that boasts a manufacturing surplus of over $100 billion, ranking alongside teh great industrial powers of China, Germany, Japan and South Korea. Italian companies are among the most competitive in the world: in 2012 out of a total of 5,117 products, Italy ranked among the first three countries in the world for active foreign trade. Considering aggregate debt (generated from the State, families, firms), Italy is one of the less indebted countries in the world. Italian food products dominate world markets: with 23 unmatched products on international markets and with the largest market shares worldwide; for another 54 products, Italy ranks second or third, despite Italian sounding counterfeiting and unfair competition. Italy is the second most competitive country in the world in the field of machinery. 22% of total Italian companies (33% of total manufacturing companies) took a chance on the green economy, a sector that is worth €101 billion of value added (10.2% of the national economy). Italy ranks first in the EU for eco-efficiency of the production system and is a European champions in the recycling industry: of a boot industrial recovery of 163 million tons of waste at the European level, Italy recovered 24.1 million, the absolute highest figure among all European countries (Germany recovered 22.4 million). Italy is the eurozone’s favorite tourist destination for non-EU travelers, ranking first for overnight stays (56 million).
