The main theme of the exhibition is Italian shoes. The European footprint" has become the importance of Italian shoe manufacturers for the European light industry. This topic from year to year becomes an occasion for Italian shoemakers to feel their own superiority and pride in their work, as well as dictate high EU quality standards and be sure to label their products according to the geographical origin of the goods. Made in Italy. Annarita Pilotti, President of the Association of Italian Shoe Manufacturers (Assocalzaturifici), believes: «Our forum – is an opportunity to resume the discussion in Europe about the protection of manufacturers' rights.

The event was organized by Assocalzaturificiin cooperation with the cultural association "Colosseum" and was held on May 30 at the headquarters of the European Parliament in Brussels.

The exhibition of Italian shoes, through a historical overview, tells about the origin of Italian shoe design as a result of changing fashion trends and creative fusion between the past and future of the shoe business. The main purpose of the exhibition was an attempt to draw the attention of the entire European community to the need to include mandatory labeling of the geographical origin of goods in quality standards, which will ensure the protection of manufacturers' rights, as well as guarantee consumers reliable information about the products purchased.

"Made in labeling should be a priority for Italy in Europe," Annarita Pilotti said. It has been 10 years since this topic was raised for the first time, but so far all negotiations have led to unsatisfactory results. It is quite possible that the European Parliament votes in favor of mandatory labeling of the place of origin of goods, but the European Council prefers not to notice this decision, referring to legal equality and justice. All these years we have been unsuccessfully trying to provide consumers with the right to information about the geographical origin of goods. I wonder who is still afraid of the Made in label? Now that the European Community has left England, the eternal opponent of the inclusion of this marking in the standard, we hope that there will be conditions for the adoption of our proposal contained in article 7 of the Special Standard for the Safety of Goods and Products.

At the exhibition «Italian shoes. The European footprint"featured shoe models telling about the history of fashion over the centuries. Having appeared in the prehistoric period solely out of practical necessity, over time shoes became an integral part of the costume and began to play the role of a status symbol, which was noticed already in the seventeenth century.

Divided into three sections, the exposition reflected the spirit of the times, cultural identity and the evolution of the shoe style. High quality, original design, creativity, the best materials and attention to detail are the distinctive features of the shoes presented at the exhibition and produced exclusively in Italy.

The exhibition was made possible thanks to the participation of the brands Villa Foscarini Rossi, Pompei 2000 srl, Alberto Gozzi, Aldo Bruè, Baldinini, Bruno Magli, Casadei, Gianna Meliani, Le Babe, Loriblu, Luciano Barachini, Paciotti, Pollini, Tesorone, each of which carefully treats the history of its production and carefully stores exclusive samples of shoes from different times in its own museums.