The operational table for the definition of a new national strategy to combat illegal hiring and labor exploitation in agriculture met in the afternoon at the Ministry of Labor in the presence of Minister Andrea Orlando with the representatives of the other ministries and bodies involved. A meeting that takes place before the end of the year break, also to take stock of the main dossiers.
Minister Orlando informed the members of the table that the preparation of the report to Parliament has been completed, forwarded to the Chambers, required by Law 199 of 2016, which was attended, together with the Ministry of Labor, by the Ministries of Agricultural and Interior Policies. , as well as the regional representatives of the Table and all the coordinators of the thematic Groups into which the Table itself is divided. The technical-scientific support of the INAPP and the Office for Italy and San Marino of the International Labor Organization (ILO) was also used, which Minister Orlando thanked.
"The report provides an update of the context framework, dedicating specific attention to women and the monitoring system of the Plan - explained Orlando - on which we are doing ad hoc work, including training, with the ILO, thanks to the support from the European Commission. A report that does not neglect the critical issues, which we felt we had to highlight to the legislator. Among these, the issue of the failure to take off of the Network of quality agricultural work, both in terms of the number of companies registered, and with respect to the development of its Territorial Sections. The reasons for this lack of development - added the Minister of Labor - are many, but they can be essentially summarized in three groups: an insufficient appeal, determined by the lack of real reward mechanisms for the registered companies, which the Regions could remedy through its own Rural Development Programs; the rigidity of the admission criteria; and, as far as the Territorial Sections are concerned, the uncertainties attributable to the regulatory provisions relating to the nature, functions and composition of the same ".
During his speech, Minister Orlando then focused on three issues on which to pay attention: that of assistance and protection of victims of exploitation with the national guidelines on which an agreement was reached at the Unified Conference on 7 October and that the various institutional levels are called upon to acknowledge. As for the new initiatives implemented to reach other productive sectors not exempt from the phenomenon of exploitation, they are being implemented through interregional partnerships in the center and north supported by investments of approximately 45 million euros. Finally, on the subject of the programming of entry flows for work, Minister Orlando recalled the words of President Draghi this morning at a press conference, who announced the signing of a decree of 70.000 entries, underlining that it is "a an important number, more than double that expected in the last 10 years. Yet it is below the needs that are represented to us. It is, however, a flow decree that tries, for the first time in many years and thanks to recent regulatory changes, to deal with the reality and with the needs, which many of those present at this table consistently represent for us. It was calibrated on the needs represented by the social partners - explained Orlando - on mechanisms aimed at enhancing their role and strengthening the instrument of programming flows also in terms of negotiations with respect to third countries with which to sign specific agreements, including with a view to combating human trafficking.
It is an important milestone, but it obviously represents only a step, a first step. At the same time, and for some weeks already, we have started a broader reflection, which I hope will lead us to an adaptation of our legislation on migration, which is clearly not in step with the times we live in and does not allow us to respond adequately to the challenges. with which we must deal, including the very important one of integration ".