#SoseXpress - Press Review 6/12 March 2021

The pandemic has revealed the centrality of the public sector in protecting the quality of our life.

Mario Draghi, President of the Council of Ministers, during the meeting to sign the Pact for the innovation of the civil service and social cohesion. 

 The Debate of Ideas  

Bridging the STEM learning gap between boys and girls is possible

Stereotypes transmitted by parents, teachers, and society, in general, underlie this imbalance which can be overcome through targeted teaching practices. For example, a problem solution approach in teaching, involving students in discussions and giving them a flexible intelligence model, could narrow the gender gap. Innovative teaching methods are the focus of a research project based on active and cooperative learning. 

 Studies, research and numbers

Istat, unprecedented decline in employment in 2020 

In 2020, employment suffered an "unprecedented" average annual decline (-456 thousand, -2.0%), accompanied by a decrease in unemployment and an increasing number of inactive people. This emerges from Istat data on the labour market in the fourth quarter of the pandemic year. The decrease in employed people (-1.7%) and worked hours (-13.6%), with the following increase in the use of the Cig (+139.4 hours per thousand worked), are more marked in the service sector compared to the industry. 

 

Istat, industrial production up by 1.0% in January 

In January 2021, Istat estimated that the seasonally adjusted industrial production index increased by 1.0%. According to the Institute of Statistics, the cyclical increase in industrial production consolidated the slight growth of the previous month. The positive trend of January refers to the main sectors, with a + 1.2%, for the consumer sectors. ON the other hand, the energy sector recorded a decrease (-0.8%) and the average trend of the last three months remains negative (-1.7%).

 

Istat, in 2020 the exports of regions down by almost 10% 

In 2020, compared to the previous year, the exports of the Italian regions recorded a marked and widespread contraction (-9.7%), compared to the national average. The negative trend is more significant for the Islands (-30.4%) and less marked for the North-West (-10.8%), the Centre (-8.5%), North-East (-8.2%), and South (-6.4%). The contraction affected all Italian regions except Molise (+ 26%). Istat disclosed these data, indicating that export has registered a positive economic trend. 

 

Istat changed the survey on the labour force in 2021

In 2021, important innovations have been introduced for the labour force surveys, providing since the early 1950s official estimates of employed and job seekers and other fundamental information on the labour market. The Regulation of the European Parliament and Council, in force since 1 January 2021, established more detailed and binding requirements for European statistics on persons and households based on individual data to improve their harmonization.

 

OECD, downward trend in Italian GDP in 2021 

OECD updated its Economic Outlook, revising downward the estimates for Italian GDP this year, forecasting a + 4.1% in 2021 with a decrease of 0.2% compared to last December. For 2022, the OECD revised its growth forecast upwards by 0.8 points, to more than 4%.  OECD estimates that the global GDP will grow to 5.6% this year, more than 1 percentage point than the projection in December 2020 and 4% in 2022. A global economic recovery is in sight, but a faster and more effective vaccination rollout across the world is fundamental. 

 

Istat, the report on Equitable and sustainable well-being (Bes) 

"The outbreak of the pandemic has hit the Italian economic system in alarming and unpredictable forms and intensities." This emerges in the eighth edition of the Istat Report on Equitable and Sustainable Wellbeing (Bes), ten years after launching the project. The economic collapse impacted income, purchasing power, and, above all, consumer spending. The preliminary estimate for 2020 reported over 5.6 million individuals in absolute poverty in Italy, with an average incidence rate of 9.4%, compared to 7.7% in 2019: these are the highest values since 2005. Poverty is growing, especially in the North, mainly affected by the pandemic, where the percentage of absolute poor increased from 6.8% to 9.4%. According to Istat, the gap between Italy and Europe in education is widening, underlining how the pandemic has exacerbated inequalities. In the second quarter of 2020, the share of young people aged 15-29 years who do not study and do not work (NEET) rose to 23.9% (21.2% in the second quarter of 2019). 

 

Bank of Italy, lending to households and enterprises slowed in January. Bad debts fell by 19.3% 

In January, lending to the private sector grew by 4.3% on an annual basis, while lending to households increased by 2.2% and that to non-financial corporations increased by 7.2%. The Bank of Italy provided these estimates in the section "Banks and money: national data," highlighting that private sector deposits rose by 12.3% over twelve months, while bad debts decreased by 19.3% on an annual basis. Here the Note by the Bank of Italy. 

 

Istat, upward trend in industrial production prices 

In January 2021, industrial producer prices increased by 1.4% on a monthly basis and decreased by 0.3% on an annual basis. On the domestic market, producer prices recorded a rise of 1.7% and a decline of 0.4%. According to Istat, the metallurgy and metal product manufacturing (+ 2.5% on the domestic market, + 2.4% in the euro area) recorded the most significant increases. Construction producer prices grew by 1.2% on a monthly basis and 2.7% on an annual basis. Finally, in the fourth quarter of 2020, service producer prices increased by 0.3% compared to the previous quarter and decreased by 0.8% on an annual basis. 

 

The voice of Stakeholders

Federmeccanica, in 2020 downward trend in metalworking production

In 2020, metalworking production fell by 13.4% compared to the previous year. The most penalized sector is the automotive industry, with a drop of 20.6% and a decline in exports to the main European partners: Germany (-8.4%), France (-14.5%), United Kingdom (-11.5%), Spain (-18.8%), compared to 2019.  Federmeccanica released these data in the 157th edition of the economic survey on the Metalworking Industry. In the fourth quarter of 2020, the metalworking production recorded a growth of 1.2% compared to the previous quarter, and with a + 0.2%, it confirmed the same levels of the fourth quarter of 2019.  

 

The wine industry, exports at 6.9 billion, -2.2% in the year of Covid

Over 150 million litres of wine more than last year remained unsold in Italian wineries due to the closure of restaurants, cafes, and wine bars in Italy and abroad. Exports of Italian wine amounted to 6.29 billion euro in 2020, recording a 2.2% decrease compared to 2019, but a 0.8% increase compared to 2018. These data emerge from the analysis carried out by the Qualivita Wine Observatory and based on Istat data concerning this challenging year. 

 

Confartigianato, in 2020 the service sector down by 12.1% 

In 2020, the service sector turnover dropped by 12.1%, exceeding the drop of manufacturing (-11%) and construction (-7%) sectors. The tourism crisis and the restrictions on mobility to cope with the pandemic have led to a 42.5% decrease in the turnover of accommodation and catering services, accompanied by - 76.3% for travel agencies and tour operators and -17.5% in transport and warehousing sectors. These are the data disclosed by the Confartigianato Research Department. 

 

Coldiretti: consumption, 130 billion lost one year after the first lockdown

The Covid emergency cut Italian consumption by almost 130 billion, registering a decrease of 11.8% in 2020, compared to the previous year, the lowest level in the last decade due to the restrictions adopted to combat the pandemic. This emerges from an analysis by Coldiretti of Istat data one year after the first lockdown. Hotels and restaurants recorded the worst result with a decline of 40.2%. 

 

FederlegnoArredo, a contraction of 10.8% in 2020 in the sector

According to FederlegnoArredo Research Department’s estimates, the Italian wood-furniture industry closed 2020 with a contraction of 10.8% compared to the previous year. After the severe data of the first half of the year, the summer months were essential to recover the lost turnover and sales. In April 2020, losses amounted to 35 and 45% compared to April 2019, while in June, the estimated decrease by the end of the year was 16%. 

 

Confesercenti: Covid, 4 thousand women-led companies disappeared in 2020

The pandemic curbed the growth of female entrepreneurship, which, at the end of 2020, registered a 0.29% decline with a loss of 4 thousand enterprises compared to 2019. For female entrepreneurs, this is the first setback in six years, especially among younger entrepreneurs. These data emerge from the estimates of Confesercenti Research Department. At present, young women's enterprises amount to 154 thousand, equal to 11.52% of the total, compared to 12.02% in 2019. 

 

Confesercenti, Covid cost 183 billion of GDP and 137 of consumption

For the economy and enterprises, the toll of the first year of the pandemic is huge. From the first lockdown to the second wave, twelve months of forced coexistence with the virus cost Italy a reduction of 183 billion euros in GDP and 137 billion in consumption, of which 36 due to the absence of tourists. The dossier "Le imprese nella pandemia: marzo 2020 – marzo 2021” (Enterprises in the pandemic: March 2020 - March 2021", realized by Confesercenti, analyses this situation. 

 

Confartigianato, positive signs in the economic situation in the first months of 2021 

In January 2021, the improvement in business confidence was linked to the growth in manufacturing production of 0.5% compared to the previous month of December. The latest Flash Elaboration by the Confartigianato Research Department reports that ten manufacturing sectors have recovered to pre-crisis levels, with a production volume in January 2021 higher than in February 2020, before the pandemic outbreak.

 

Innovation  

 

Nomisma, digital leap in 2020, 8 out of 10 Italians online 

2020 was the year of the digital leap for Italy: 8 out of 10 Italians surf the net, and 70% made an online purchase. It is the snapshot provided by Nomisma new Data Hub, the synthetic indicator that identifies the Digital Attitude, the propensity to use digital tools, and new behaviours. Sales of digital devices skyrocketed in the first half of the year: + 53% for computers and + 69% for visual cams, compared to the same period of 2019. Online sales of food products increased by 134% compared to 2019. Boom also for digital identity: 17.5 million SPiDs were distributed in 2020. 

 

Politecnico di Milano, digital payments in Italy are worth 268 billion 

One out of three payments in Italy is digital, a third of total value of all transactions in 2020. Consumption decreases, but contactless (+ 29%) and via smartphone and wearable (+ 80%) payments are growing. The smartphone has become the device preferred by Italians to make remote payments and online purchases, surpassing the PC. In 2020, digital payments were worth € 268bn in Italy. These data emerge in the new edition of the "Innovative Payments Observatory" of the School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano. Despite a general decline in consumption of over 13%, digital payments in 2020 reached 5.2 billion transactions, going from 29% to 33% of the total value.  

 

Gender equality 

Eurostat, women's gross hourly earnings 14.1% below those of men

In 2019, women's gross hourly earnings were on average 14.1% below those of men in the EU.  

The gender pay gap shows the difference between the average gross hourly earnings of men and women expressed as a percentage of men's average gross hourly earnings. This varied among the EU Member States, with the highest differences observed in Estonia (21.7%), Latvia (21.2%), Austria (19.9%) and Germany (19.2%). On the other end of the scale, the differences were smallest in Luxembourg (1.3%), Romania (3.3%), Italy (4.7%) and Belgium (5.8%). 

 

CDL, in Italy Covid affects female employment more than in other countries 

In Italy, the decline in female employment during the Covid emergency has doubled its numbers compared to the EU average in terms of lost jobs which amounted to 402 thousand from April to September. These data emerge from the report "Occupazione femminile: si allarga il divario con l’Europa," realized by the Fondazione Studi Consulenti del Lavoro. The report explains that Italy recorded a 4.1% decline in female workers aged 15 to 64 compared to 2.1% in Europe. After Spain, our country shows the highest contraction. 

 

CNA: female entrepreneurship hit but not sunk 

2020 was a particularly difficult year for working women, both self-employed and employees. The crisis has affected, in particular, the activities with a greater women's presence. Nevertheless, more than one out of two female entrepreneurs or self-employed workers did not get overwhelmed. The CNA Research Department, in collaboration with CNA Impresa Donna, surveyed a representative sample of members of the Confederation, revealing that nearly 40% last year tried proactively to reorganize their business. 

 

United Nations, gender equality is receding 

Over the past decade, the employment gap between men and women in Europe has fallen by 0.2 percentage points. In Italy, in the third quarter of 2020, female employment was 20 percentage points lower than male employment. Women have suffered most from the crisis caused by Covid-19: from December 2019 to December 2020, 312,000 women lost their jobs, more than double the 132,000 jobs lost by men. According to the "United Nations Sustainable Development Goals" indicators in the European Union, we are achieving gender equality. At the same time, the "Global Gender Gap Index 2020" shows that achieving gender equality in the world will take 99.5 years. 

 

Consob-Bankitalia: few women on corporate boards, but the "pink quotas" work well

In Italy, women's weight on the boards of listed companies is increasing, but the number of female managers remains small. This was revealed by the interinstitutional Observatory on female participation in the administrative and control bodies of Italian companies in the analysis carried out by Consob and the Bank of Italy. The growth in the female presence is significant in companies for which gender quotas are envisaged: at the end of 2019 the percentage was 39% in listed companies and 33% in companies controlled by the public. In listed companies, however, only 2% of women hold the role of CEO. 

 

Local Authorities 

The Pact for the innovation of public work and social cohesion has been signed

The Pact for public employees was signed yesterday, 10 March, by Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, the Minister of Public Administration, Renato Brunetta and the General Secretaries Maurizio Landini (CGIL), Luigi Sbarra (Cisl) and Pierpaolo Bombardieri ( Uil). It also includes new rules for smart working. 

 

The world of MEF  

 

MEF published online the statistics on IRES and IRAP tax returns for the 2018 tax year

The Department of Finance of MEF published the statistics relating to IRES and IRAP returns relating to the 2018 tax period (presented in the years 2019 and 2020). Regarding IRES, the declarations of joint-stock companies showed an increase of 1,229,010 compared to the previous year (+ 2.6% ). Subjects who submitted the IRAP return for the 2018 tax year amount to 3,710,017 (-2.9% compared to 2017). 89.7% of joint-stock companies are limited liability companies. 

 

Mef, Report on equitable and sustainable wellbeing for 2021

Mef announced that the Bes Report was submitted to the competent parliamentary committees. The Report analyses the trend of Equitable and Sustainable Wellbeing indicators based on the effects of the latest Budget Law, highlighting the relationship between public policies and wellbeing, with a multidimensional approach. The indicators reveal that the pandemic has affected citizens' economic wellbeing, social, gender, and territorial inclusion. However, support policies have limited damage for families, workers, and businesses.