"We now must think of a partnership in the space sector. We must do so with attention, as it is (an industry with) sensitive companies, but we must face the challenge," Calenda said at a conference in Rome organised by Italian companies' association Confindustria and its French peer Medef.

In September Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri (>> Fincantieri SpA) took effective control of French rival STX France under a shared ownership agreement.

The move set the conditions to explore the creation of a Franco-Italian naval defence group, merging France's Naval group with Fincantieri.

(Reporting by Alberto Sisto)

Stocks treated in this article : Leonardo, Fincantieri SpA