#SoseXpress - Press Review 13/19 March 2021

Digital innovation has a unique feature: it can reduce inequalities. 

Vittorio Colao, Minister for Technological Innovation and Digital Transition speaking at #MilanoDigitalWeek. 

The Debate of Ideas 

 

Alfabeto Digitale: CNR dedicates a radio broadcast to the internet culture 

Within the initiatives aimed at science dissemination, CNR dedicates a radio broadcast, “Alfabeto Digitale,” to the Internet culture and the digital world in its various forms. The goal is to promote a shared digital culture through a radio broadcast providing digital culture pills able to reach an audience of all ages thanks to simple but not banal language. 

To improve universities' quality by financing their research productivity

In an article in La Voce.info, Tito Boeri and Roberto Perotti, economists and full professors at the Bocconi University in Milan, highlight how the only way to improve our universities is to award the best research project. 

Following the Anglo-Saxon example, where most universities are public, like in Italy, it would be appropriate to finance a department or university based on the quality of research. 

 

 Studies, research and numbers 

 

Eurostat: annual growth in labour costs at 3.0% in the euro area

In the fourth quarter of 2020, hourly labour costs rose by 3.0% in the euro area and by 3.3% in the EU, compared to the same quarter of the previous year. In the third quarter of 2020, hourly labour costs increased by 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively. Eurostat published these data revealing the growth in labour costs in the eurozone. 

Bank of Italy, the public debt in January increased by almost 34 billion

In January, the public debt increased by 33.9 billion compared to the end of 2020, amounting to 2,603.1 billion. The Bank of Italy reported these data in the publication "Public finance: borrowing requirement and debt." Among budget receipts, tax revenue amounted to 36.7 billion, an increase of 2%. The breakdown by subsector shows that general government debt increased by 33.6 billion and that of the local governments by 0.3 billion; the social security institutions' debt remained stable. 

Eurostat, how earnings vary across the EU 

Gross monthly wages vary considerably across the EU. In 2018, the median monthly earnings ranged from € 4,057 per month in Denmark to € 442 in Bulgaria. With just over € 2,000 per month, Italy ranks 11th. According to Eurostat estimates, Luxembourg is at the top of the list, followed by Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, and Germany. 

Istat: prices up in February for the second consecutive month 

In February, the national consumer price index for the whole nation (NIC) recorded an increase of 0.1% on a monthly basis and 0.6% on an annual basis (+ 0.4% in January). The increase in All items index is mainly due to the increased prices of non-regulated energy products (+ 1.4%) and, to a lesser extent, tobacco and transport services (+ 0.4% for both).

Car registrations -19.3% in February 

In February 2021, car registrations in the European Union fell by 19.3%, confirming the negative trend started in 2020 due to the pandemic outbreak. This emerges from the latest monthly report by ACEA (European Automobile Manufacturers' Association), according to which February recorded the lowest rate since 2013. Italy registered a decrease of 12.3%. 

Eurostat: Annual inflation stable at 0.9% in the Euro area 

The euro area annual inflation rate was 0.9% in February 2021, stable compared to January. According to Eurostat estimates, the rate was 1.2% a year earlier. Annual inflation in the European Union was 1.3% in February 2021, up from 1.2% in January. A year earlier, the rate was 1.6%. Throughout the European Union, inflation rose by 1.3% on an annual basis, after + 1.2% in October, while it recorded a + 0.3% on a monthly basis.

Eurostat: Construction production up by 0.8% in the euro area and 0.9% in the EU 

In January 2021, compared to December 2020, seasonally adjusted production in the construction sector increased by 0.8% in the euro area and by 0.9% in the EU, compared to -1.3% in the previous month, according to Eurostat first estimates. Within the 27 European Member States, the sector reported a 0.9% increase in production. Compared to a year earlier, production fell by 1.9% in the eurozone and 1.8% in the EU. 

Unioncamere: The Blue economy is worth 47 billion and includes 200 thousand companies 

There are 200 thousand blue economy companies in Italy, with almost 1 million employees, around 47 billion euros of value-added. This emerges from the latest Blue Economy Report promoted by the Chamber of Commerce of Frosinone-Latina in collaboration with Unioncamere and produced by the Study Centre "Guglielmo Tagliacarne." According to the latest "Blue Economy Report 2020", the EU blue economy represents a huge and growing resource with 5 million employees, a turnover of 750 billion euros in 2018, and an increase of 11.6% compared to the previous year. 

Eurostat, EU tourism halved in 2020 

In 2020, tourism was among the sectors most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic due to travel restrictions and other precautionary measures. According to Eurostat estimates, in 2020, the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in the European Union was 1.4 billion, down by 52% compared to 2019. In 2020 compared with 2019, nights spent by foreign visitors fell by 68%, while nights spent by domestic visitors fell by 38%. Here for more information. 

Legacoop-Prometeia: in 2020, 150 billion in GDP and 108 billion in consumption were lost

One year after the pandemic outbreak, a first assessment shows that in 2020 our country recorded a drop in GDP of 8.9%, double the average world GDP (-4.4%). In absolute figures, 150 billion in GDP, 108 billion in consumption, 16 billion in investments, 78 billion in exports were lost. These data emerge in the report "Un primo bilancio ad un anno dallo scoppio della pandemia", elaborated by Area Studi Legacoop and Prometeia. 

Eurostat: the trade balance surplus fell in January 

The first estimate for Euro area exports of goods to the rest of the world in January 2021 was 163.1 billion euro, a decrease of 11.4% compared to January 2020. Imports from the rest of the world amounted to 156.8 billion euro, a fall of 14.1% compared to January 2020. These figures were published by Eurostat, recording a surplus of 6.3 billion euro, compared to the previous month. 

Inps, in 2020 new jobs collapsed by 31% 

The Osservatorio sul precariato at INPS announced that in December 2020, 660,000 jobs were lost. The data consider a positive trend for open-ended contracts (+259,000, an increase in December due to the large volume of transformations) and a strongly negative result (-919,000, decreasing in December) for all the remaining types of contracts. 

Inps, from April 4.4 billion working hours covered by CIG (Wage Guarantee Fund) due to the Covid emergency  

In February 2021, 173.3 million working hours were covered by CIG. 97% were paid through CIGO (Ordinary Wage Guarantee Fund), Derogatory Wage Guarantee Fund, and solidarity funds based on a cause of intervention named "emergency COVID-19". INPS released these data through the "Osservatorio sulla cassa integrazione", which underlines how the working hours covered by CIG due to the health emergency were 4,396.2 million between 1 April 2020 and 28 February 2021. 

Cnel - Ipsos-Flair Report - Covid is impoverishing Italians. The middle class collapsed to 27% 

The middle class has collapsed from 40% in the pre-pandemic to 27% today; social tension has risen to 73%. These and other data emerge in the Ipsos-Flair 2021 Report presented to Cnel and carried out on a sample of 1000 people representative of the Italian population. Here to learn more and download the Report. 

Nomisma, 1st Italy 2020 Shipping Industry Report  

According to the European Union data in 2020, maritime transport represents 16.3% of the value-added and 8.2% of employment, generating a value per employee double compared to the average of the six sectors belonging to the Blue Economy. The macro-sector includes all economic activities related to the sea producing 218.3 billion euro in value-added and employing 5 million people. Assarmatori, Conftrasporto and Confcommercio contributed to the presentation of the Nomisma Report. 

Istat, exports return to grow in January. 

According to Istat estimates, in January, trade flows with foreign countries registered a growth, more intense for exports (+ 2.3%) than imports (+ 1.2%). Exports returned to decrease on an annual basis (-8.5%, compared to + 3.3% in December 2020), and imports fell by 11.6% (compared to -1.7% in December of last year). The decline is significant and is due to the contraction in exports to non-EU markets (-12.7%) and, to a lesser extent, to the EU area (-4.7%). Imports decreased by 11.6% (compared to -1.7% in December 2020), mainly due to the fall in imports from the non-EU area (-18.3%).

 

The Voice of Stakeholders  

 

Confartigianato: 193 thousand craft firms with 517 thousand workers in the Apennines 

In Italy, the inland and mountain areas, mountain municipalities, and the Apennines are characterized by a widespread presence of small enterprises and craft firms. 193,000 artisans are in the Apennine area, with 517,000 employees: 19.4% of workers in the Italian craft industry. The workers of SMEs in inland areas account for 82% of the total, including 241 thousand craft firms with 580 thousand employees. 

Confesercenti: the lockdown will cost 80 million in lost consumption per day 

The new restrictions will cost the Italian economy around 80 million euro in lost consumption per day. According to Confesercenti, the failure to overcome the health crisis imposes an ever-higher cost on the trade sector. The restriction measures will negatively impact on household consumption, which in the first four months of the year lost 9.5 billion euro.

CIA: green lights for "dalcampoallatavola.it", the first e-commerce for farmers 

The "Made in Italy" focuses on digital innovation to overcome the crisis and boost the agri-food sector. In 2020, online food sales increased by 134%, while the first estimates of 2021 recorded a rise of 62%. At a time of crisis in the country, "dalcampoallatavola.it," the first e-commerce dedicated to agricultural businesses aims to support Made in Italy, facilitate the recovery with the direct sale of agri-food products on the web and promote the digital innovation of companies.  

FIPE-Confcommercio: cafés and restaurants, 250 thousand jobs lost 

In 2020, cafés, restaurants, discos, catering, and banqueting firms lost 243 thousand employees compared to 2019, when they were about one million. According to the analysis by Fipe-Confcommercio research department, based on INPS data, cooks, waiters and barmen took the brunt of the crisis. In detail, employment fell by 25.2% in restaurants, by 26.2% in cafes and 57.4% in discos.  

Confcommercio, in March, a decline of 4.7% in GDP is expected

The strong reactivation of the pandemic and the slowdown in the vaccination campaign could lead to a drop in GDP of 4.7% on a monthly basis. The latest Confcommercio economic report outlines a framework similar to March and April of last year. Therefore, according to the ICC data, February recorded a negative trend on an annual basis with a decline of 12.2% following the contraction of 17.5% in January. The gaps between sectors are widening: most market services have not operated for one year. Some industrial sectors are recovering from the losses suffered in the worst moments of last year.

Confartigianato: the prices of metals in manufacturing continue to increase 

A study by Confartigianato Research Department based on Istat and Eurostat data reveals in January 2021 a 0,4% increase on an annual basis in manufacturing producer prices. For metallurgy, the leading sector of the supply chain, prices rose by 5.2%, a point higher than the 4.3% increase of the Eurozone. Furthermore, according to Confartigianato, the latest update of the International Monetary Fund shows the increasing pressure of raw materials' international prices. In February 2021, metal prices rose by 53.6% compared to the previous year, consolidating the 42.3% increase in January. 

 

Innovation  

 

EPO-Eurostat: the growth of Italian patent applications for the healthcare sector 

The patent applications filled by Italian companies were 4,600, with an increase of 2.9%, doubling + 1.5% in 2019 despite the general stagnation. The US remains at the top, but China and South Korea show the strongest increases. According to aggregate data from the European Patent Office (EPO), in Italy, the pharmaceutical sector registered a rise of 10.2% in patent applications and the biotechnology sector 6.3%. 

Cybersecurity: in Europe, Italy registered the record for macro malware attacks 

The total number of malwares intercepted in Italy in 2020 was 22,640,386. Five million more than in 2019. In 2020, Trend Micro detected 119 thousand threats per minute, recording an increase of 20% compared to 2019. Smart working has, in fact, led to increasing cybercriminal pressure on many infrastructures. 

CNR (National Research Council): 600 thousand new ".it" domains were registered on the Web in 2020 

The pandemic and the lockdown have contributed to the growth of Italian internet domains: citizens, freelancers, and companies have seen the Web as a work opportunity. In 2020, 600 thousand new domains were registered on the Web as highlighted by Registro.it, a body operating within the Institute for Informatics and Telematics of the CNR. 49% of new registrations concern individuals, while 41% companies. 

Industrial transformation passes through technological innovation

In Italy, the industrial transformation process is also moving towards sustainability and technological innovation. Despite the difficult period, in recent months, 31% of Italian companies have declared to have implemented sustainability processes in their company. Furthermore, 52% intend to invest up to 10% of their yearly turnover in cybersecurity and collaborative robotics.

 

Gender equity  

 

Istat, Lower hourly earnings for female workers and fixed-term contracts 

Women earn less than men. The Gender Pay Gap (GPG), calculated as the percentage difference between the average hourly earnings of men and women in relation to men's hourly earnings, was 6.2% in 2018 and reached 15.9% in Market services and 14.2% in Industry. These data emerge in the Istat report on the structure of salaries in Italy for 2018. 

Smart working: more workloads for women 

Smart working can help reconcile work and lifetime; it is generally considered a balancing tool capable of favouring women's participation in the labour market and their career prospects. However, remote working could crystallize a traditional division of roles with controversial effects in terms of well-being and productivity and hinder the prospects for professional development. 

 

Local Authorities 

 

Fair and sustainable city: the Municipality of Milan, a model to evaluate the benefits of digital 

The 'Benefits Analysis Model' presented by the Municipality of Milan during the Milan Digital Week is a certified model that makes the benefits deriving from digital for citizens and PA tangible. 

Thanks to a set of indicators, it will be possible to evaluate the impact of innovations on the PA by quantifying the social, economic, and environmental benefits obtained by the local authority and citizens.

 

 The world of MEF 

 

MEF, tax and social security revenues recorded -46 billion in 2020 

Tax and social security revenues in 2020 recorded a decrease of 6.4% (-46,651 million euros) compared to the same period of 2019. The figure considers the decrease of 6.6% (-32,492 million euros) in tax revenues and 6% in social security contributions (-14,159 million euros). The Ministry of Economy and Finance released these data. 

Mef, in January 2021, tax revenues down by 5.3% 

In January, tax and social security revenues showed an overall decrease of 5.8% (-3,767 million euros) compared to the same period of 2020. The figure considers the decrease of 5.3% (-2,017 million euros) in tax revenues and 6.7% in social security contributions (-1,750 million euros). The Ministry of Economy and Finance released these data.