Guarantee adequate resources for the competitiveness of the production system and a clear simplification of the rules on state aid. The Regions, then, must maintain an active role in the programming and management of structural funds. These are the main requests that emerged during the meeting "Multi-annual Financial Framework (MFF) 2028-2034: priorities for Italian industry between growth, cohesion and competitiveness", promoted by Confindustria and hosted yesterday by Unindustria Lazio in Rome. The initiative, a stage dedicated to Central Italy of the discussion process promoted by Confindustria in the five electoral constituencies of the European Parliament, brought together the MEPs of the Central Italy constituency, the representatives of the regional Confindustrie and the local institutions, to explore the prospects of the next Multiannual Financial Framework, the main programming tool.
Speaking for businesses, in detail, were Giuseppe Biazzo, president of Unindustria; Fabrizio Bernini, president of Confindustria Toscana; Paolo Ceci, president of the Regional Committee of Small Industry of Confindustria Marche; Giammarco Urbani, president of Confindustria Umbria. Then there were Antonio Matonti, director of the Policy and Advocacy division of Confindustria; Annalisa Sassi, president of the Council of Regional Representatives of Confindustria; Francesco De Santis, Confindustria vice-president for Research and Development; Matteo Borsani, director of the Confindustria European Affairs Area and Pierpaolo Pontecorvo, Unindustria delegate for European Affairs. Roberta Angelilli, vice-president of the Lazio Region and councilor for Development, also spoke at the meeting, as well as the European parliamentarians Salvatore De Meo (Forza Italia), Nicola Procaccini (Brothers of Italy), Camilla Laureti (Democratic Party), Francesco Torselli (Brothers of Italy), Dario Nardella (Democratic Party).
During the meeting it emerged that for businesses, cohesion policy represents a central tool for competitiveness, promoting greater integration between regional development objectives and European industrial policies. The definition of the new European budget represents a crucial step for the Italian production system: European choices will have a direct impact on the ability of companies to invest, innovate and compete on global markets. Particular attention was paid to the evolution of cohesion policy and the new European instruments for financing competitiveness, research and innovation. The discussion made it possible to put the needs of the territories and the production system of Central Italy into dialogue with the MEPs involved in the negotiations.
«European programming for 2028–2034 must guarantee adequate resources for the competitiveness of the production system, supporting investments with a high industrial impact even by large companies», said Giuseppe Biazzo, president of Unindustria. «We need – he added – a clear simplification of the rules on state aid, overcoming the territorial constraints and rigidities that today prevent too many companies and too many investment projects from benefiting from European support and resources that could generate more innovation and increases in the productivity of the productive fabric of the territories».
