Republic of San Marino
The collaborations of Emilia-Romagna with the Republic of San Marino
General profile of the Republic of San Marino
Country: | Republic of San Marino |
Captains Regent | Maria Luisi Berti and Manuel Ciavatta |
Capital | City of San Marino |
With its size (about 33,000 inhabitants, 61 square kilometres), San Marino is a very special country. Geographically (but also politically and economically) it is an enclave in the centre of the Italian peninsula. It has no borders or customs with Italy and the economic activities of the two countries are often intertwined.
Traditionally, the main sectors of the local economy are the following: tourism, banking and finance, manufacturing, trade, services, construction, agriculture, public administration, insurance, telecommunications, e-commerce.
The centuries-old relationship between Italy and San Marino is characterised by a long tradition of exchanges in all fields and by shared values. Relations between the two Republics are governed by the 1939 Convention of Friendship and Good-Neighbourliness, with its subsequent additions and amendments. In addition, together with the Principality of Monaco and Andorra, San Marino has started negotiations with the European Union for an Association Agreement. Given San Marino’s enclave status, Italy is also its main economic partner.
The relations between the Emilia-Romagna Region and the Republic of San Marino are solid. The neighbourly relations encompass the labour sector, in particular the status of cross-border workers, industry, training and tourism, with a special focus on the mutual promotion of the area.
In February 2022, San Marino was accepted as the tenth participating country in the EU Strategy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region (EUSAIR). Its inclusion within EUSAIR is another step forward towards European integration and regional cooperation with both candidate and potential candidate countries and EU member states. Equal cooperation within EUSAIR will allow San Marino to further align with EU policy, and it will enable joint action to address macro-regional challenges. The cooperation will also strengthen the coordination and dialogue between the EUSAIR countries, helping San Marino to mobilise national funding for macro-regional projects in cooperation with its new partners.
In this context, San Marino will also join the Interreg IPA ADRION Programme, which supports the governance of EUSAIR and covers the same geographical area. The Emilia-Romagna Region, Managing Authority of the ADRION Programme, will provide support and technical assistance to San Marino.
Areas of cooperation
Waste management Health care
The Emilia-Romagna Region currently has two Cooperation Agreements and an Operational Protocol with the Republic of San Marino.
- Economic Cooperation Agreement signed on 10 June 2013 (unlimited validity), covering the fields of health care and social welfare, wildlife and hunting, enhancement of the environment and agriculture, plant health, transport and infrastructure, research and technological innovation, rationalisation of expenditure and civil protection (it is a Framework Agreement).
- Agreement for the management of urban and special waste, including the recovery and disposal of hazardous waste, signed in 2018 and expiring in 2028.
- Operational Protocol – which goes into the details of the implementation of activities provided for in the Economic Cooperation Agreement – concerning cooperation in health care and social services, technical-scientific aspects, administration and the provision of inpatient and outpatient services, signed on 4 December 2017 and lasting five years.