Plans are in place to create an industrial zone specially for Italian footwear manufacturers in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Having already received approval from the Russian government and the St. Petersburg authorities, the planned zone is said offer significant benefits in terms of customs, labour and transportation costs, allowing savings of up to 60% to be incurred compared with importing directly from Italy.

According to city official Alexander Sidorov, seven hectares of land in the Parnas industrial area have already been set aside for the zone. New enterprises will be created by both Russian and Italian investors who will be jointly responsible for the running of the zone. In addition, the site will incorporate a bonded warehouse that will enable imported Italian footwear to be stored for a maximum of three years, without attracting duties.

According to Antonio Brotini, president of the Italian National Footwear Manufacturers Association, Russia is the 12th largest importer of Italian footwear in terms of quantity, and the second largest in value terms after Japan, with the bulk of the trade being handled by Moscow importers and distributors. The new zone is seen as offering particular advantages to those organisations making deliveries to the north western regions of Russia. Brotini says that had it not been for strong opposition from the capital's shoe importers, the zone would have been located in Moscow.

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