At the end of the control room on the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and following a long discussion with the Italian Government on nursery schools and kindergartens, it emerged that the European Commission, for the purpose of achieving the related milestone, positively assessed the percentage of contract awards by local authorities so far, equal to over 91%, thus deeming the PNRR objective achieved.
Thanks to the simplification and support interventions prepared and implemented by the Ministry of Education and Merit, the average times for the design and procurement of the works were 7-9 months instead of about 3 years for smaller works to 1 million euro and about 4 years for interventions between 1 million and 5 million euro.
"Great success of the Government/Municipalities teamwork", is the comment of the Minister of Education and Merit, Giuseppe Valditara. “We are very satisfied with the result achieved, which was unexpected until a few months ago, and with the fruitful dialogue with the European Commission on a decisive PNRR dossier. It is a strong signal", says Valditara, "which goes in favor of children, families, women's work and the birth rate. The data”, continues the Minister, “tell us that the simplification of procedures and regulations, accompanied by adequate support to the administrations, under the banner of the 'friendly state', are strategic prerequisites for making the country more competitive. We will continue on this path with determination”.
Among the elements submitted to the evaluation of Brussels, for the purposes of its own decisions, the data relating to the sharp increase in prices - in some regions it exceeded 50% for the main works in school construction - which affected the timing of the award and the procedures tender for the works, given that the Municipalities had to re-approve the projects before going to tender with the new regional price lists between July 2022 and March 2023.
With regard to the issue of achieving the final target relating to the total number of places to increase, which is equally affected by the sharp increase in prices especially on the number of new places that can be activated in the 0-6 age group, Brussels proposes to identify and finance (with another announcement or decree) further interventions useful for the achievement of said final target. It is also necessary to work on a different target that is in any case consistent with the actual needs, given that already with the interventions admitted up to now we are in line with the objectives of the Barcelona Council and with the European average of 33% coverage of the service 0-6 years.