22 March 2024

Last Wednesday evening, the third and last public meeting of the series entitled “San Marino towards Europe. The contents of the Agreement” on the free movement of services and capital took place. The event, sponsored by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was promoted and organised by the Mutual Aid Society (SUMS) in cooperation with the Research Centre for International Relations of the University of San Marino.

The debate was opened by Prof. Michele Chiaruzzi, who outlined the main characteristics and respective scopes of application of the free movement of services and capital.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Luca Beccari, provided further explanation by giving details on the freedom to provide financial services. He also pointed out that the existing 1939 Convention on Friendship and Good-Neighbourhood with Italy had already created an area of free provision of services at that time. However, the evolution of European rules in this field had created regulatory imbalances and divergences that needed to be bridged through the Association Agreement.

 “San Marino companies will be able to provide services in Europe” - said Minister Beccari - “thus expanding their trade borders within a common and uniform legal framework. The Agreement is challenging from a regulatory point of view; in some respects, it contains provisions that San Marino already implements”.

"Nine informative meetings, which took place over several months, made it possible to deepen our understanding of the four freedoms that characterise the Association Agreement with the European Union. Talking and learning about such a complex subject, which is the protagonist of an epoch-making change for the Republic, was possible thanks to the clarity, preparation and expertise of the speakers, to whom I express my praise and thanks”. The large audience present in person and remotely, who watched the recordings of the events made by San Marino RTV and followed the succession of meetings, testifies to the appreciation of the initiative. SUMS is very satisfied with the feedback received from San Marino citizens” said SUMS President Marino Albani.

While thanking the citizens who actively participated in the three meetings, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would like to recall that the recordings of the meetings can be viewed on San Marino RTV.

San Marino, 22 March 2024