#SoseXpress – Press Review 21/27 November

To break the chain of violence against women means to combat every form of oppression, imposition, and abuse.

The President of the Republic, Sergio Mattarella, on the International Day for the elimination of violence against women.

The Debate of Ideas

 

Training, performance management, and digitalization: the three pillars for efficient smart working.

In a Public Administration often criticized for its very lengthy procedures and old models, it is necessary to support smart working through investments aiming at workforce’s training, reviewing the evaluation system, and internet rapid access. The median age of PA’s employees is 50,7 years, the highest in Europe. For this reason, it is necessary to train employees in smart working. 

Studies, research, and numbers

 

Svimez Report: the economy and the society in Mezzogiorno.

The deep crisis caused by the Covid-19 health emergency affected Italy’s Mezzogiorno severely. On 24th November 2020, Svimez presented its last report, a snapshot of the South, revealing the high cost of lockdown in terms of GDP for the Country. Every month of lockdown, the Country lost 48 billion Euro, 3,1% of the Italian GDP, more than 37 of them were lost in the Center-North (3,2% of GDP) and about 10 in Mezzogiorno (2,8% of GDP). The Svimez Report provides these data highlighting that the first wave of pandemic originated in the North but affected Mezzogiorno more severely. Here the pre-Covid situation appeared complicated due to a weak social and productive fabric. 

 

Censis Report: a snapshot of the social situation of the Country.

Censis will present its latest Report on next 4th December, but a preview is already available. The 54° edition of the Report continues to analyze and explain the Country’s most significant socioeconomic phenomena. The Censis Report has always identified transformation processes in Italian society. It will present its studies divided by sector: training, employment, welfare, healthcare, security, territory and social networks, media, and communication. Here to learn more and follow the presentation via live streaming.

 

Wine sector: IRI data for Vinitaly reveal an increase in sales.

IRI presented its research on the first ten months of 2020 for Vinitaly. Wine sales in the large-scale retail channel increased by 6,9%  and 5,3% compared to the preceding year ( data updated on November 8th, 2020). The increase was also due to the extraordinary sales in the spring quarter of lockdown when cafés and restaurants were closed. 

 

Istat: multinational corporations’ turnovers increased by 3,8% in Italy.

The Report analyzed the 2018 data. In that year, foreign multinational corporations in Italy and Italian firms abroad consolidated their positive contribution to the Italian production system's growth. Foreign-controlled companies are considerably larger than the Italian (93,2 workers against 3,6). The average size of Italian companies abroad amounts to 75,1 workers.

45% of main Italian multinational groups in industry and 40,9% in the service sector declared or planned new investment in the period 2019-2020, aiming to acquire foreign companies' control. 

 

Eurostat: partial recovery in tourism in summer 2020.

In 2020, the tourism industry has suffered from the COVID-19 outbreak. This is evident when comparing 2020 data with 2019. From January to August 2020, the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments in the EU, such as hotels, holiday, and other short-stay accommodation and campings, totaled 1.1 billion, a decline of 50% from January-August 2019. There was only a partial recovery in the summer period, with falls of 71% in June, 42% in July, and 32% in August. In the period July-August 2020, the number of nights spent in tourist accommodation establishments decreased by 37% compared to the same period in 2019. 

 

Istat: Exports decrease in the Non-Eu countries.

In October 2020, exports in non-Eu27 countries decreased by 2.6%, and imports increased by 1.7%.

The monthly decrease in exports affected all main industrial sectors due to the decrease in the sales of intermediate (6,1%) and consumer nondurable goods (1,9%). Regarding imports, an increase is registered in consumer durable goods (+7,7%), capital goods (+5,2%) and intermediate goods (+2,5%), while a decrease is registered in energy sector (-2,7%) and non-durable goods (-0,5%). 

 

Istat: The turnover in services registers a clear recovery.

In the third quarter of 2020, the service turnover index showed an evident recovery in all sectors. In particular, the index increased in accommodation and food service activities (+161.9%), professional, scientific and technical activities (+27.4%), wholesale trade, trade and repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (+26.0%), transportation and storage (+20.9%), travel agencies and administrative and support service activities (+16.7%) and information and communication (+9.4%). 

 

Covid-19 crisis: numerous enterprises are compelled to sell on credit.

55% of Italian enterprises sell on credit: the highest level in the last five years (52,9% in 2019 and 46% in 2018). To stimulate the market and sales, enterprises granted their customers deferred payments for their orders. These data emerge from a survey by the Payment Practices Barometer of Atradius, which analyzes the enterprises’ payment practices worldwide. This year particular attention is paid to the current situation, a severe economic crisis caused by the epidemiological emergency. 

The voice of Stakeholders

 

Confartigianato: Update of productive areas in red zone.

The red zone, including the areas with the highest contagion risks, extended to other productive regions: 52% of “Made in Italy” and 50% of winter tourism. The Confartigianato department research revealed these data. 

 

Unioncamere: Covid impact on female entrepreneurship.

Women entrepreneurs suffered severely during the pandemic crisis. This emerges from the last analyses realized within the “Rapporto nazionale Impresa in genere” by Unioncamere, which on November 25th inaugurated the 12th Giro d’Italia of woman entrepreneurs. According to the report, they need more significant economic support and are less confident than men in a rapid return to the pre-covid situation. These topics and the employment dynamics will be discussed during the 2020 edition of Giro d’Italia of woman entrepreneurs, promoted by Unioncamere and Chambers of Commerce. 

Innovation

 

Big Data & Business Analytics: The pandemic curbs the growth.

According to the Big Data & Business Analytics Observatory of the Polimi Management School, Covid-19 has curbed the growth, decreasing from +26% in 2019 to +6% in 2020. The Italian analytics market increased by 1,815 billion euro, 6% compared to last year, after 23% in 2018 and 26% in 2019. Here to learn more.

Local Authorities

 

Anci presented its document on the Budget Law to the Budget Committees of the Chamber and the Senate.

During the hearing before the Budget Committees of the Chamber and the Senate, ANCI presented its observations and proposals on the draft 2021 budget law elaborated in a context of great uncertainty caused by the current crisis.  Municipalities’ support in managing the extraordinary situation has been essential to identify the communities’ needs and implement the measures against the crisis. 

The World of MEF

 

 

Credit and liquidity for families and enterprises: the updated data by MEF.

The applications for moratoriums on loans have exceeded 302 billion euro and the applications for guarantees on new bank loans received by the Central Guarantee Fund for SMEs exceeded 107 billion euro. The “Garanzia Italia” of SACE granted guarantees for 17,2 billion euro, based on 981 applications received.

 

The path towards Cashless.

On November 24th, Ernesto Maria Ruffini, Director General of the Revenue Agency, held a hearing before the VI Finance Committee of the Chamber of Deputies to discuss two resolutions concerning the payment traceability and the simplification of the related obligations. The several measures aim to fight tax evasion by disincentivizing cash payments in favor of electronic payments according to the “Italia Cashless” plan: receipts lottery, reduction of the maximum limit for the use of cash, a tax credit of 30% on the commission expenses charged to traders and professionals for electronic transactions.