(ANSA) - TRIESTE - The State Secretary for European Affairs, Sandro Gozi, opened in Prague today a series of meetings with entrepreneurs and the community of Italian business at the Italian-Czech Chamber of Commerce. Moreover, he will present a lecture at the Institute of economics studies, and he will meet with the Rector of Charles University, then visit the Italian Cultural Institute and the headquarters of the European Global Navigation Satellite Systems Agency.

Focus on the new challenges of the European Union, general election scheduled for October in the Czech Republic and the excellent bilateral economic relations between Rome and Prague.

The latest data from the Czech Statistical Office show that trade between the two countries hit in 2016 the highest recorded level of about 12bn billion euros, that is up 11.6% over the previous year. Italy has thus become the fourth largest European trading partner and the world's fifth for the Czech Republic, behind Germany, China, Poland and Slovakia. Even according to the Statistical Office, exports to Italy have reached 6.3 bn, and Italian imports rose to 5.5bn. (ANSA).