On January 26, Massimo Goldoni and Maurizio Danese, respectively presidents of Cfi and Aefi – Committee for Industry Fairs www.cfionline.net and Association of Italian Exhibitions and Fairs www.aefi.it/en launched an appeal to the Government. At the heart of the request, in particular, the establishment of pro-business corridors to promote the internationality of the events.
“We appeal to the Government to urgently prepare new green corridors to allow non-EMA vaccinated international operators to participate in trade fairs in Italy. The risk for the second European trade fair industry is to lose its international character – a fundamental discriminant for the export of Made in Italy companies – leaving the field free to German competitors, who have already adopted entry programs also in favor of operators and buyers from third countries with vaccines other than those recognized by the European Medicines Agency, as noted by Auma, the reference association for trade fairs in Germany “.
The presidents of CFI and Aefi recalled the favorable opinion, expressed in the days preceding the appeal by the Chamber on the proposal of the Honorable Benedetta Fiorini. Proposal that undertakes to evaluate specific protocols for the entry of international operators with vaccines not recognized by Ema. A decision that goes in the right direction, underline Danese and Goldoni. However, the objectives must be followed up immediately, because at the present stage the trade fair system is struggling with postponements and severe difficulties in maintaining the level of internationalization required by companies.
“We need clear rules along the lines of the German ones, which provide for the possibility of welcoming international operators, without quarantine and for a maximum of 5 days, at trade fairs”.
The current rules in force in Italy, the CFI and Aefi presidents conclude, require supplementary vaccinations with vaccines recognized by Ema for fairs. However, these are provisions that discourage those who have to come to Italy resulting in continuous cancellations from operators, in particular from third countries coming from Asia and Russia. About 70 demonstrations have been postponed to this beginning of the year.