With reference to today's statements by the CGIA Mestre on the trend of loans to micro-enterprises, Gianfranco Torriero, Deputy General Manager of Abi, reports that the same sources used by the CGIA of Mestre demonstrate that over the last few years the differential between the rates applied to the micro enterprises and large companies have been greatly reduced (by about a quarter). This was determined by the presence of a pluralist banking offer and by banks in strong competition with each other, in a context of interest rates that is historically low even for smaller companies.
As highlighted by the Cgia of Mestre itself - continues Torriero - there are elements that make it difficult to assess the creditworthiness of micro-enterprises. Financial and fiscal information often characterized by limited transparency and not always correct make it difficult to adequately assess the risk, also given the limited amount of financing transactions.
Precisely in order to improve access to credit, an important role has been played in the last ten years by the Guarantee Fund which has guaranteed disbursements in excess of 120 billion. The fund's business focused more precisely on micro and small businesses, with a share of loans to these companies that went from just over 60% to 73% at the end of 2018.