Although in absolute terms the sum is certainly important, the 29 billion euros of direct aid granted so far by the Government to the economic activities affected by the pandemic crisis have been completely insufficient to alleviate the difficulties suffered by entrepreneurs.
If, in fact, we compare these 29 billion to the estimate referring to the loss of turnover recorded last year by Italian companies, an amount that is close to 423 billion euros, the coverage rate was equal to just under 7 per cent: a 'incidence laughable. And pending the new refreshments scheduled in the coming days, anger and malaise among economic operators are increasingly widespread, especially among those who conduct small businesses. To say it is the CGIA Studies Office.
• The closures by decree are not discussed
The artisans of Mestre are however keen to reiterate an incontrovertible principle: the State, the Regions and the local autonomies have the right / duty to introduce all the limitations to mobility and the opening of economic activities that they consider useful and necessary to protect public health. Let's be clear: this cornerstone is not in question. But it is equally necessary to intervene so that the operators who are forced to close the business by decree are economically helped to a greater extent than has been done up to now. Otherwise, they risk closing their doors permanently.
• Approximately 200 billion in losses for those who closed
It is however necessary to specify that for the companies that have suffered the most negative repercussions of the crisis, or those that have had to close by decree, the refreshments provided by the Executive have reached an average level of coverage of the drop in turnover of 14,5 per cent. about. The income support measures approved by the Conte government, in fact, largely went to the activities that recorded a drop in turnover of at least 33 percent compared to 2019. The fact remains that even for these realities, economic aid they were insufficient.
The CGIA Studies Office, in fact, estimates that of the almost 423 billion reduction in turnover recorded in 2020 (equal to a contraction of -13,5 percent compared to the previous year), at least 200 billion would be attributable to companies in the sectors which were forced to close by decree.
• It is necessary to switch from refreshments to refunds
It is clear that a change of course is necessary: refreshments must be replaced with refunds. In other words, a public allocation is needed that almost totally compensates for both the missed collections and the current expenses that they continue to incur.
The same thing must also be defined for the sectors which, although in business, are as if they were not. We point out, in particular, the commercial and craft enterprises located in the so-called art cities that have suffered the collapse of foreign tourist presences and, in particular, the local non-scheduled public transport (taxi, bus operator and car rental with driver) that although in service have the vehicles stopped in the sheds or in the stands.
It is true that this additional current expenditure would contribute to increasing public debt, but it is equally true that if we do not save businesses and jobs, we do not lay the foundations for restarting economic growth which remains the only possibility capable of reducing next years the amount of public debt that we have frightfully accumulated with this crisis.
• The measures relating to the 29 billion received by companies
Net of the measures that have been introduced to support liquidity and the effects due to the postponement of some tax deadlines, in 2020 the Government made € 29,1 billion available to companies. The most important item was that of non-repayable grants which amounted to 11,3 billion euros. This is followed by other interventions that amount to 7,9 billion and the cancellation of the 2019 balance and the 2020 Irap advance which allowed for a relief of 3,9 billion. Tax concessions for sanitization and lease payments allowed savings of € 5,1 billion, while the cancellation of the Imu and Tosap / Cosap guaranteed a reduction in local taxation of € 802 million.
• 292 thousand micro enterprises with 1,9 million employees at risk
According to the latest survey carried out by Istat - conducted on a sample of almost 1 million companies with over 12 million employees who, overall, represent almost 90 percent of the added value and about three quarters of the overall employment of the companies industry and services - there are almost 292 thousand activities that are in a situation of profound crisis. Activities that employ almost 1,9 million people and produce an added value of nearly 63 billion euros. The average number of employees per company in this cluster in difficulty is equal to 6,5. Micro enterprises that, heavily affected by the health emergency, have not adopted any strategy to respond to the crisis and, consequently, are at risk of closure. Also from this survey it emerges that the production sectors most involved in these 292 thousand activities are textiles, clothing, printing, furniture and construction. In the service sector, on the other hand, the difficulties of catering, accommodation, car trade and other sectors such as retail trade, rental, travel, gaming and sport stand out.