[3] There are 48,000 Swiss in Italy and Italian citizens are the largest foreign group in Switzerland: 500,000 including those with dual citizenship.

[5] In the period of Restoration (1815-1848) the Lombard Enlightenment had an important influence on the Swiss territories, Milan, in fact, became a place of education for the Ticinesi.

[6] In the Risorgimento era, various Italian patriots, including Cavour, the prime minister of the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia, became interested in conquering the Ticino Canton and the Italian-speaking valleys of Graubünden.

The Lombardy Region represents 90% of all Switzerland's trading with Italy according to former federal councillor Ueli Maurer.

[citation needed] The end of the Second World War gave a new start to bilateral trade: In 1950, both countries joined the European Payments Union.

This period is featured by a large amount of investment from the Confederation to the peninsula: Switzerland is one of Italy's most important trading partners.

At the end of 2017 there were about a thousand Italian companies in Switzerland, which hire 21,000 employees, mainly in the following sectors: clothing, finance, food and construction.

Specifically for the construction sector, the Italian Chamber of Commerce for Switzerland, has launched an initiative called Investment4Business,[16] which facilitates and promotes investments in real estate business between the two countries.

This institute participates in various projects like the “settimana della lingua italiana nel mondo” which is an initiative of the Italian foreign ministry.

The main objectives of the structure are: In Milan, Bergamo, Rome, Catania and Como it is possible to find Swiss schools.

Two universities, the Università della Svizzera italiana (USI) and the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland, offer Italian students the possibility to apply for Swiss Government Excellence Scholarships to the State Secretariat for Education Research and Innovation.

[1] Italy and Switzerland diplomatic relations are based on the conclusion of 22 treaties[21] and on regular meetings between the representatives of the two governments.