TRIESTE – The Friuli Venezia Giulia Region is about to publish a 15-million-euro call to strengthen the competitiveness of Trieste’s production system.
Applications may be submitted exclusively online via the Invitalia platform from 12:00 on 26 February to 12:00 on 23 April 2026.
«Trieste’s industrial area has enormous development potential, as shown by the recent establishment of major international and Italian players», said yesterday the Regional Councillor for Productive Activities and Tourism, Sergio Emidio Bini, announcing the opening of the public notice managed by Invitalia and presented together with representatives of the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy.
The initiative falls within the Programme Agreement for the conversion and industrial redevelopment of the Trieste area signed by the Region, MIMIT and Invitalia and concerns the former Ezit industrial district (managed by the Local Economic Development Consortium of the Giuliana Area – Coselag), the former Arsenal industrial zone and state-owned areas under concession to Siderurgica Triestina (excluding those of the Logistics Platform), located within the municipalities of Trieste, Muggia and San Dorligo della Valle.
The call is open to companies of any size, including cooperatives and consortium companies, as well as business networks made up of three to six firms. Investment programmes must include eligible expenditure of no less than one million euros (1.2 million in the case of networks), together with a commitment to maintain or increase employment levels. Newcos may also apply, provided they are incorporated as limited companies and are not in financial difficulty. In response to a specific question during the presentation, Bini said that supply-chain companies—including logistics—are also among those eligible to compete under the call.
«This measure forms part of a broader strategy to relaunch Trieste’s industrial and port system, which in recent years has brought new investments, important reindustrialisation operations and the safeguarding of jobs, as well as stronger infrastructure. The objective – Bini added – is to support solid projects capable of generating stable employment and enhancing the territory’s productive strengths. In the past, a similar call was not successful, not only because of a different economic environment, but also due to its bureaucratic complexity. We therefore worked with Invitalia and MIMIT to simplify the application procedures, and we know that early signals and expressions of interest have already been received from potential applicants».
Eligible projects include productive investment programmes aimed at setting up new production units, expanding, converting or restructuring existing ones, as well as the acquisition of businesses that are closing down. Alongside these, the call supports environmental protection investments, including energy-efficiency measures, emissions reductions, the use of renewable sources and circular-economy projects. Programmes may be complemented by organisational and process innovation projects, staff training and, for larger investments, also by industrial research and experimental development activities.
Support is granted in the form of subsidised financing, capital grants and—depending on the type of cost—direct non-repayable contributions. The subsidised loan covers at least 20% of eligible investments, while the overall aid intensity may reach a maximum of 75% of the investment programme, in compliance with the limits set by EU rules.
