#SoseXpress – Press Review July 4th/10th

A digital identity, one app, and data sharing are the basis of digital services for all citizens. Cloud infrastructure and the right to innovation will increase the competitiveness of our Country.

Paola Pisano, Minister of Technological Innovation and Digitalization, during the press conference to present the “Simplification Decree”

The debate of ideas

 

From public tenders to abuse of office up to IO-app and the national digital platform: Identikit and contents of the Simplification Decree.

The Simplification Decree was the focus of the weekly debate. The decree addresses four main issues: public contracts and construction industry, administrators’ responsibility, the diffusion of digital administration, provisions concerning enterprises, environment, and green economy. Open data and the national digital platform represent a fundamental issue. This platform will make public data immediately available and usable to the Public Administration.

 

Digital Resilience is the guiding thread of Forum PA2020 with over 100 events and more than 300 speakers. Among the appointments also the #SpazioMEF workshops. 

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Italy has to face an unpreceded challenge, in which innovation, inside and outside the Public Administration, represents a crucial factor to manage the emergency and to promote the Country’s recovery. This consideration was the guiding thread of ForumPA 2020 – Digital Resilience, over 100 virtual events dedicated to innovation and digital transformation as a response to the crisis. The institutional contributions were numerous (for example, the presentation of the new 2020-2022 plan for Public Administration’s computerization, the research concerning public employment by FPA, the survey on Digital Maturity of Region Capitals – Editor’s note: To access the documents, go to section “Innovation”). Also, the meetings within #SpazioMEF were relevant and focused on issues under the competence of the Ministry, agencies, and controlled companies. The sessions are available on Twitter here. In the above-described framework, SOSE organized a digital seminar about the use of data and maps for municipalities’ resilience, reported here. Moreover, SOSE took part in the digital meeting of the DAG department dedicated to human resource management.

 

The world after the end of the world: our future according to 50 academics.

Editori Laterza is launching a book that is an open project. Its publication will probably be in next October and aims to analyze the Covid-19 pandemic impact on the economy, politics, and social life. The dialogues and the thematic podcasts are available online. Fabrizio Barca, Tito Boeri, Innocenzo Cipolletta, and Enrico Letta are some of the authors. 

 

Recovery: the key word of RepIdee2020, a hybrid event dedicated to the Country’s recovery.

It is not true that the Coronavirus Emergency is democratic. It affects everyone but not in the same way. With these words, Elly Schlein, Vicepresident of Emilia Romagna, participated in the meeting “Nessuno resti indietro” organized within “La Repubblica delle Idee,” hybrid event including physical or digital meetings, organized to take stock of the recovery.

Statistics, researches and numbers

 

Special survey of Italian households in 2020.

In April and May 2020, the Bank of Italy conducted a special survey of Italian households (ISF) to collect data on the financial situation and expectations of households during the crisis linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of those surveyed said their household income had shrunk as a result of the measures adopted to contain the epidemic.  The impact has been particularly severe on the self-employed. 

 

Update of the European Commission’s forecasts on the Covid-19 economic impact.

The Coronavirus economic impact is more severe than we could imagine. The Summer 2020 Economic Forecast projects that the euro area economy will contract by 8.7% in 2020 and grow by 6.1% in 2021. The EU economy will contract by 8,3% in 2020 and will increase by 5,8% in 2021. 

 

Monthly note on the Italian economy’s development.

The Italian economic indicators captured in May the first signs of production recovery after the severe contractions in March and April. In May, compared to April, the extra-EU exports increased while in June, the confidence improvement seemed widespread in the economic sectors. ISTAT reveals these data in an updated note.

 

ISTAT: update of industrial production data.

In May 2020, the seasonally adjusted industrial production index is expected to increase by 42,1% compared to April. In the period March-May, the production decreased averagely by 29,9% compared to the three preceding months. Here the thematic note by ISTAT.

 

The retail data according to ISTAT.

In the quarter March- May 2020, the retail sales registered a decrease of 20,6% by value and 21,8% by volume compared to the preceding quarter. The sales of non-food goods decreased (-37,4% by value and -37,8% by volume), while the sales of food increased (+1,5% by value and +0,4% by volume). The in-depth analysis is available on the ISTAT website.

 

The wind has changed: towards a new normality.

The first signs of optimism for the recovery come from enterprises. They are the focus of the report by “Termometro Italia Aziende,” the monthly survey about the sentiment and the opinions of the Italian firms realized by “Innovation Team,” research company of the Cerved Group.

 

And how is Lombardy? The report “Milano Produttiva” of the Commerce Chamber of Milan, Monza Brianza, Lodi answers.

In an Italy characterized by a weak increase in 2019, Lombardy also felt the effect of the European slowdown: the regional value-added increased by 0,4%, worsening sharply compared with the preceding year (+0,7% in 2018) and with 2017 (+2,3%). The report “Milano Produttiva” reveals these data describing enterprises exceptionally during the lockdown. 

 

Italy 2021: the near future of the manufacturing sector.

The thematic report elaborated by PWC – Italia and dedicated to the manufacturing sector is online. It indicated the priorities to relaunch the Country’s industry. 

 

Mind the Gap! The occasional paper by Bank of Italy is online.

Bank of Italy published a paper aiming to propose a new approach to overcome the current discrepancies in the ESG scores through Machine Learning techniques. 

 

Employment Outlook: the estimates on employment by OECD. 

As the effects of the containment measures adopted by the OECD Countries, millions of people have been unable to go to work, resulting in an exceptionally stark drop in activity and unprecedented job losses. In some countries, the number of worked hours is incomparably lower than during the 2008 financial crisis. This is the premise of the report on employment by OECD.

 

Employment data updated by Eurostat.

In the first quarter of 2020, EU countries' containment measures affected the European employment market. In this scenario, employment and unemployment, as defined by the International Labour Organization – ILO, are not sufficient to describe the labor market developments. For example, in this phase, the measures aiming to contain the employment losses have produced absences rather than dismissals, and people could not find a job due to the adopted provisions. The statistics on employment elaborated by Eurostat begin with these words.

 

Geography of holidays: here are the recovery cities.

According to ENIT, Italy of tourism is reacting. Venice is more in difficulty with 68% of rooms still available, while Rimini is recovering with half of the nights booked. The cities of art register a decrease in reservations of 26% in Florence, 38% in Rome, 39% in Milan, and 47% in Naples. 

 

Covid impact on automotive sector.

According to the forecasts updated by Cerved, the automotive sector’s enterprises could lose between 55 and 72 billion in revenues in the period 2020-2021, with relevant effects in Piedmont, Lombardy, and Lazio.

The voice of stakeholders

 

Due to the liquidity crisis 41,6% of MSEs have resorted to a new bank loan. Focus on the trend of enterprises’ loans.

According to the Confartigianato Research Department, the interruption of activities, and the consequent drop in revenues generated an exceptional need for liquidity during the health emergency. 77,5% of micro-and small enterprises resorted to one or more tools to contrast the liquidity crisis. 

 

Smart working and tourism collapse overwhelm cafés and restaurants.

According to Confesercenti, in the catering, hotel, and entertainment sector, one enterprise of three has registered halved revenues. Two enterprises out of ten risk the closure. 

 

Italy ranks third among the OECD Countries as regards the quality of bureaucracy. 

According to an analysis by the Confcommercio Research Department, the low quality of our bureaucracy has affected the Country’s economic growth: between 2009 and 2018, the GDP registered a decrease of 70 billion.

 

The cost of Coronavirus for over 800 thousand enterprises.

According to the simulations by Fondazione Nazionale dei Commercialisti, in the first quarter of 2020, Covid will cost 280 billion euros to enterprises, with a drop in revenues of about 20%. 

 

Joint declaration by Confindustria – and the Netherlands’ Confederation of Industries.

“An effective response to the crisis, enabling the business to assume its role, demands a European dimension. We co-ordinate our European policies within BusinessEurope, our common European home.” Thus, Confindustria and its Dutch partner begin the joint declaration supporting the Next Generation EU. 

 

Misery Index update by Confcommercio.

The MIC of May 2020 reached a value of 39,8. The social distress reached the highest level since the index is elaborated. Confcommercio reveals this data in its monthly note.

Innovation

 

Digital Services: South and small towns are among the more advanced Municipalities.

Digitalization is not only for big cities or Northern regions but also involves smaller towns and central and Southern Italy. A survey realized by FPA for Dedagroup Public Services reveals these data.

 

Permanent data governance: considerations and news.

During FORUMPA2020, the strategic data governance, from European Data Strategy to the necessity of synergy between public and private bodies, civil society, and research were the most discussed issues. 

 

The PA and citizen: How to improve the digital experience.

In collaboration with FPA, Adobe has realized a thematic survey on public service users' digital experience. The study highlighted a profound dichotomy between offer and real use. Only 32% of the Italian users benefit from the e-government services compared to an EU average of 67%. 

 

Europe has launched an online consultation on the digital economy.

The European Commission has launched a digital public consultation related to the communication “Shaping Europe’s Digital Future” to propose new and updated rules able to harmonize and improve digital services and policies. 

Local authorities

 

Relaunch decree: thematic note by ANCI.

The summary note by ANCI on the Relaunch Decree dedicated to the amendments concerning Municipalities is available. 

The world of MEF

 

Identikit of BTP Futura.

BTP Futura is a new Government bond targeted only to retail investors, families, or private property managers issued by the Government for the first time from 6th to 10th July. 

 

In the first five months of 2020 tax revenues amount to 149,7 billion euro.

Between January and May 2020, tax revenues amounted to 149.731 million euros, with a decrease of 15.300 million euros compared to the same period of the preceding year (-9,3%). The decrease reflects the measures adopted by the Government to face the health emergency. 

 

The data on grants in an infographic.

The applications for grants submitted to the Revenue Agency were 1.208.085. 

 

Credit and liquidity for households and enterprises: the updates of the liquidity implementation taskforce.

The applications for moratoriums on loans were over 2,6 million for a value of 286 billion euros. The applications for guarantees on new bank loans submitted by MSMEs to the Central Guarantee Fund for SMEs increased to 790.000. The “Garanzia Italia” of SACE granted guarantees for 8,7 billion euros based on 171 applications received.