Italy and Australia have a great relationship, based on solid and lasting ties, guided by shared values and principles and aimed at common strategic interests. A large and well-integrated Italian community has contributed greatly to the development of the Australian economy, society, culture and way of life. According to the 2021 census, just over one million Australians have Italian ancestry and more than 160,000 Australian residents were born in Italy.
Bilateral cooperation is very deep and it applies in different areas; in science and technology, culture and the arts, as well as other fields, including issues related to security and counter-terrorism. From an economic and commercial point of view, the two countries have a solid and dynamic business base and trade exchanges.
The Free Trade Agreement that the European Union and Australia are negotiating will certainly represent a multiplier of opportunities. A lowering/cancellation of the taxation levels currently applied to some product categories would make them more competitive on the market, also taking into account the high transport costs. In the food & beverage sector, the recognition of new denominations of origin would have a very positive effect for Italian products (Italy is by far the country with the highest number of such recognitions in Europe). The reduction of non-tariff barriers would facilitate Italian investments in the country as well as access to tenders. The main focus of European negotiators is to increase benefits for small and medium-sized enterprises, which are the backbone of the Italian economy.
Despite the geographical distance, there is a large presence of big Italian industrial groups and other companies which are smaller, but at the forefront of technology and innovation. In total there are about 270 Italian companies with a stable and direct presence in the market with production plants, commercial branches or representative offices, that operate in almost all sectors (energy and engineering: ENI, Enel, Saipem, Prysmian, etc. .), infrastructure and construction (Webuild, Rizzani de Eccher, Ghella, etc.), financial services (Intesa SanPaolo), fashion (Zegna, Armani, Ferragamo, Max Mara, Tod’s, Gucci, Luxottica, etc.), luxury (Ferrari , Maserati), fitness (Technogym), food products (Barilla, Lavazza, Campari, Inalca Group, Ferrero, etc.).
Scientific collaboration is very dynamic: several agreements are active between Australian universities or Departments and Italian universities; the two countries collaborate on important projects (such as the Square Kilometer Array and the SABER project on dark matter); the community of Italian researchers in Australia is very large.
Even on a cultural level, bilateral relations are excellent thanks to the strong promotion of our culture and the “Made in Italy”. Furthermore, the Italian language is still among the most studied foreign languages in Australia.