(Tiper Stock Exchange) – “We know of the difficulties of Italy and other member countries in spending European funds but I see awareness of these difficulties in the Italian authorities, I see excellent collaboration with Brussels. But this must be the main concern of the Italian authorities in the economic field”.
The European Commissioner for the Economy said soPaolo Gentiloni interviewed at The State of the Union conference in Florence explaining that on the PNRR with Italy “so far there is no delay, there are a few weeks of technical postponement in the third installment but this has also happened for other countries. Having said that, anyone must be aware, and Italy is, of how challenging further commitments are for the others milestone of the program”.
“It is in the common interest of the member states and the European Commission to spend this money. At the same time we have rules and regulations that define the 2026 deadline very clearly” for the investments of the Pnrr. “Legal quibbles are always possible” he added “the Brussels machine is flexible in many ways. But this is a very difficult point to avoid because it is clearly defined”.
In Italy “we have a sufficient level of growth, +0.5% in the first quarter is a good figure” but “without sustainable growth we will not be able to do the two things that are necessary: put the debt on a downward trajectory and invest in modernisation”, said the European Commissioner for the Economy. “We need growth and there are many European resources available that can be a game changer” he said added.
Finally, he concluded “it is crucial than in the attitude with which the new fiscal rules are discussedi there is the awareness that re-proposing austerity is impossible” but the debt must come down.