by Valentina Salcedo
The “Trieste Commerciale” trade district launched its pilot project on Tuesday morning, aiming to revitalize urban commerce. With a 1-million-euro budget, the initiative, supported by the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, focuses on the historic center, San Giacomo, and Roiano districts.
The project, spanning three years, includes marketing, urban animation, and infrastructure investments in broadband and sustainable mobility. Nicola De Luca will manage the district, collaborating with local businesses for enhanced service quality. The initiative is part of a regional strategy to promote commerce as a key driver of sustainable economic development and social cohesion.
Serena Tonel, the Assessor for Economic Activities, emphasized the significance of the day, acknowledging the substantial contribution from the Friuli Venezia Giulia Region, enabling the concrete launch of the Commerce District. The Commerce District, she explained, serves as both an analytical tool and a planning instrument to address challenges in the commerce sector, particularly those arising from online commerce. Tonel highlighted the District’s role in proposing solutions by involving urban planning and economic trend analysis. She announced the appointment of Nicola De Luca as the District Manager, emphasizing collaboration with Confcommercio to enhance service quality in response to online competition. Tonel concluded by noting the partnership with the University of Trieste, underscoring the value of academic analysis and research in problem-solving.
Regional Assessor Sergio Emidio Bini elaborated on the success of Commerce Districts in the region, with 20 currently in operation. He emphasized the regional commitment to promoting commerce as a strategic factor for sustainable economic development, social cohesion, and territorial resource enhancement. Bini highlighted the potential of the Commerce District to support businesses, artisans, and urban centers by integrating regeneration initiatives, aiming to improve overall territory attractiveness, accessibility, visibility, and quality of life.
Antonio Paoletti, President of Confcommercio Enterprises for Italy Trieste, emphasized the collaborative effort facilitated by regional legislation (Law 3/2021 – SviluppoImpresa) involving municipalities, associations, and the Chamber of Commerce. He stressed the teamwork’s goal of enhancing service and offer quality.
Professor Gianluigi Gallenti from the University of Trieste expressed satisfaction with the university’s involvement, offering expertise in economic matters, urban regeneration, and sustainable mobility.
The Commerce District, established through a partnership agreement signed on May 11, 2023, involves the Municipality of Trieste, Confcommercio Trieste, URES Slovenian Regional Economic Union, Chamber of Commerce Venezia Giulia, and the University of Trieste. It aims to synergistically promote, incentivize, and innovate urban commerce as an effective driver of economic, social, and cultural dynamics.
The pilot project, valued at 1 million euros, received a regional grant of 482,000 euros. The remaining funds will be sourced from the municipal budget. The project, developed with support from CAT Terziaria srl (Technical Assistance Center of Confcommercio), targets the historical center, the route leading to San Giacomo district, the Roiano district, and includes collaboration with local businesses for enhanced service quality.
District Manager Nicola De Luca outlined the pilot project’s three-year plan, focusing on marketing and territorial animation initiatives. The strategy involves engaging economic operators in the project’s execution, fostering collaboration in planning and implementation. The project also includes territorial animation initiatives to extend vitality from the city center to suburban areas, with a coordinated events calendar at the local, regional, and extra-regional levels.
Infrastructure investments in broadband, sustainable mobility (bike-sharing stations), and urban furnishings (flower pots and benches) are planned. A business grant, exclusive to the pilot area, will support digitalization and sustainability investments. Detailed elements of the grant will be determined through stakeholder consultations.
The project’s economic framework, totaling 1 million euros, breaks down into municipal and regional contributions, covering project design, marketing, urban animation, and public infrastructure investments. The District’s steering committee, comprising signatory partners, appointed Nicola De Luca as the District Manager to represent the District in regional relations and coordinate objectives outlined in the agreement.
