Italy must think of partnership with France for space: minister

MILAN (Reuters) – Italy needs to start thinking of a partnership in the space industry with France after the two countries have joined forces over the naval sector, Industry Minister Carlo Calenda said on Friday.

“We now must think of a partnership in the space sector. We must do so with attention, as it is (an industry with) sensitive companies, but we must face the challenge,” Calenda said at a conference in Rome organized by Italian companies’ association Confindustria and its French peer Medef.

In September Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri took effective control of French rival STX France under a shared ownership agreement.

The move set the conditions to explore the creation of a Franco-Italian naval defense group, merging France’s Naval group with Fincantieri.