Friday, 22 May 2025, Berlin, Germany: NRW Premier Hendrik Wüst received the Ambassador of the Italian Republic, Fabrizio Brucci, for a bilateral meeting at the representation of Germany’s most populous federal state in the German capital. The exchange focused on the close relations between the two countries and shared interests regarding the new German federal government.
During the encountered Premier Wüst said: “Italy is a key partner for North Rhine-Westphalia. Together, we are committed to a strong and capable European Union. Italy plays a pivotal role regarding migration, particularly as a country with an EU external border. North Rhine-Westphalia’s position is clear: on the issue of migration, we need a European solution based on solidarity, and we must not leave countries of first entry to face the challenge alone. North Rhine-Westphalia and Italy also collaborate closely on future-oriented topics such as artificial intelligence and its implementation in public administration—notably within the framework of our regional partnership with Piedmont. We intend to further intensify these joint efforts in the future.”
Italy is an important partner for North Rhine-Westphalia. With a trade volume of 25.4 billion euros (2024), Italy ranks seventh among North Rhine-Westphalia’s trading partners, following Poland and preceding Austria. Around 650 Italian subsidiaries employing 27,000 people are based in North Rhine-Westphalia. More than 142,000 Italians live here—representing one in four of all Italians living in Germany. There are currently 17 town twinnings between North Rhine-Westphalia and Italy, including Cologne with Turin, Unna with Pisa, and Oberhausen with Iglesias.
For further information
State Chancellery of North Rhine-Westphalia: https://www.land.nrw/pressemitteilung/ministerpraesident-hendrik-wuest-empfaengt-den-botschafter-italiens-fabrizio-bucci
