Government support for the Milan Expo. Monti: "The Milan Expo will be a huge success: it will provide visibility for tradition, creativity and innovation."

“The Expo will be a universal event offering visibility for tradition, creativity and innovation, and we can expect it to have significant effects on the entire economic system in Italy.” These were the words of Prime Minister Mario Monti after the Expo Milan 2012 Coordination Committee (COEM) met at Palazzo Chigi on 9th March

“The institutions and the Italian political parties have worked together to enable us to achieve the expected number of official participating countries,” the premier explained, “I am certain that the event will be a huge success. The government fully confirms all the promises that it has made in the past. We will continue to work effectively with all the local authorities, the many partners and supporters of the event.”

Modifications to the stability pact, solutions for preventing mafia infiltration, and resources for the event were the main issues addressed during the first meeting of COEM (Expo Milan 2012 Coordination Committee) to be held since Mr Monti came to power. It was a busy three-hour meeting during which Roberto Formigoni, the General Commissioner of Expo Milano 2015, Giuliano Pisapia, the Special Commissioner and the Expo 2015 SpA company presented the government with a progress report about the works to date and the projects that have been implemented for the Universal Exposition in Milan.

“The Milan Universal Exposition has the full support of the government,” Mr Formigoni said at the end of the meeting, “The government has confirmed its previously made commitments for funds to support the event: we are working with a country-wide approach so that there will be positive repercussions for the whole of Italy.” The results of a study carried out by the Bocconi University on the opportunities for wealth and employment that the Milan Expo can offer Italy were presented during the meeting, “It will guarantee an average of 61,000 more jobs every year, with 136,00 extra jobs in 2014 alone,” emphasised Mr Formigoni.

“Expo Milano 2015 will be the first major event which could provide a boost to the economy after the recession,” explained Mr Pisapia. “It has been decided with the cabinet to work on modifying the stability pact with regard to the costs borne by the local authorities as Expo 2015 is an international and not a local event which will provide economic advantages for the entire country.”

Another of the issues discussed during the meeting was the danger that criminals might infiltrate their way into the tenders launched by Expo 2015 SpA, “The controls and the protocols, including those against undeclared employment and those promoting health and safety at work, which were agreed to by companies, business organisations and mayors with the City of Milan and with the Minister of the Interior, make me feel certain that any attempts by organised crime have absolutely no chance of being successful.” assured Mr Pisapia.

The meeting was also attended by the ministers Paola Severino, Corrado Passera, Elsa Fornero, Francesco Profumo, Mario Catania, Lorenzo Ornaghi, Renato Balduzzi, Andrea Riccardi, and Piero Gnudi, deputy minister Vittorio Grilli and undersecretaries Paolo Peluffo, Antonio Catricalà and Martà Dassù. Diana Bracco, the president of Expo 2015 SpA, Giuseppe Sala, the Chief Executive Officer, and Fabio Altitonante, the Territorial Planning councillor for the Province of Milan, were also at the meeting.