(Finance) – The first territorial meeting presentation of the new four -year agreement between Confindustria e Intesa Sanpaolo for the growth of Italian companies announced last January by the president of Confindustria Emanuele Orsini and DalConsillere delegated and CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo Carlo Messina. The joint N program makes available 200 billion euros until 2028of which 40 billion To the companies of the Southto relaunch the development of the production system and seize the transition opportunities 5.0 and IA, thus integrating the resources already allocated by the bank for the realization of the PNRR objectives.
At the headquarters of the Industrial Union of Naples, Emanuele Orsini and Stefano BarreseManager of the Banca dei Territori of Intesa Sanpaolo, highlighted the peculiarity of the new measures placed in a Comparison with the entrepreneurs of Southern Italy on the development strategies of the territory and on the opportunities offered by the Single Zes of the South. Presented ad hoc measures To encourage support to new production settlements, the expansion and modernization of existing ones and investments in the energy sector.
“Our first territorial meeting in Naples confirms the attention and historical proximity of Intesa Sanpaolo in the South. Together with Confindustria we will continue to support the southern economy for the next four years, making available 40 billion euros to invest in the new opportunities for businesses in the country and on foreign markets”, said Stefano Barrese, head of the Banca dei Territori Intesa Sanpaolo, adding ” South Italy, which represents the seventh European manufacturing area and hosts a quarter of the Italian chains “.
The president of Confindustria Emanuele Orsini wanted to remember that “the South is a strategic pillar for the growth of the country and the Italian and European industry” https://www.Finance.it/detaglionews/223_2025-03-25_TLB/. “Our joint commitment – he explained – aims to enhance the potential of the territory and the only one represents an opportunity. Concrete to accelerate southern competitiveness, attract capital and strengthen the production chains “.
Paid 450 billion in 15 years to the production system
The national protocol presented today consolidated and renews the collaboration between Intesa Sanpaolo and Confindustria started in 2009 which, which they have paid in 15 years 450 billion of euros in favor of production system Italian, through numerous joint initiatives and government guarantees activated in the critical phases, allowing you to support tens of thousands of companies with new credit and mainly SMEsthe load -bearing structure of Made in Italy in the world.
The news concerns: The growth of southern businesses through the enhancement of the Single Zes of the South, Investments in new production models advanced with high potential with particular attention to aerospace, robotics, artificial intelligence and life sciences, the acceleration of the sustainable transition in line with the transition 5.0 plan, The impact in research and innovation and the Plan for sustainable livingto facilitate the mobility and attraction of talents in the Italian industry.
The South between signs of recovery and challenges
The analysis on the state of health of the southern economy made annually by Confindustria and SRMshows a rather economic picture dysomogeneous. In fact, the variables that make up the synthetic index take on diversified seats: the number of companies and exports appear down In the last year, while the other indicators are growing or tendentially stable compared to 2023, but they all exceed the value of 2019, filling the loss linked to the events of the last few years, including exports.
The South continues, therefore, to show not indifferent vitality signals. Sign of a competitive capacity and the existence of a development potential that must be freed and strengthened. To consolidate the results obtained, adequate infrastructure investments and incisive support measures are needed For the supply chains identified by the Single Zes strategic plan, in addition to the increase in the use of unique authorizations and the interventions capable of ensuring support for the resilience of the existing economic fabric.
The synthetic index of the southern economy for 2024 it stands at 541.3 pointsslightly decreasing compared to 2023, with a gap of 48.1 points compared to the center-north. In the medium term the differential between the two macroareas tends to reduce: In the last three years, the South has recovered over 6 points, a signal of a progressive convergence between the two macroareas.
Albeit falling in the last year due to the difficulties of strategic sectors such as automotive and oil, Southern exports exceeds the levels of 2019 (+36 points). In 2024 the export of the southern regions touched almost 65 billion euros, with a negative commercial balance.
The manufacture of the South it is strongly interconnected with the rest of Italywith a greater economic impact than other areas of the country. The area is interconnected in “long” and “wide” with the rest of the country: for every euro that goes abroad, it adds little more than another (1.1) intended for the rest of the country.
The South concentrates 27% of the national employmentwith a growth of employees of +2.2% in 2024. Female occupation also grows, with an increase of +3.3%, a signal of a structural transformation of the labor market.
According to the data of the Revenue Agency the Tax credit for the Single Zes saw almost 7,000 questions In 2024 received from the companies located in the southern regions, for a total of just over 2.5 billion euros of incentives paid. With an average amount of about 370 thousand euros per applicant company. This confirms that on the policy side placed for the South, this tool is one of the most relevant.
(Photo: © Htganzo / 123rf)