Fewer and fewer people and businesses: red alert in Valle d'Aosta

And the manufacturing sector? In 2000 there were 12,793 active enterprises throughout the region - the data can be obtained from the Movimprese-Infocamere database -: 2,218 belonged to construction, 1,138 were manufacturing activities, 2,600 were commercial activities, and 1,324 were hotels and restaurants. The vast sector of agriculture, forestry, fish farming totalled 2,967 active enterprises.

Again, as with the population, the figures for the second quarter of 2025 speak for themselves: the total number of active enterprises is 10,780. More than 2,000 fewer than in the year 2000. The construction of residential buildings has 711, but, compared to 25 years earlier, the sector has been divided into other categories: this adds up to 1,499 companies active in specialised construction work and 43 in civil engineering. A total of 2,253 enterprises (although the entries are different from 2000). There are 697 manufacturing activities. Trade-related activities number 1,515, accommodation and catering 1,699. Agriculture, forestry and pisciculture are found with 1,414 enterprises.

Beyond some counter-trend data, such as in the case of accommodation activities, and the not exactly identical denominations of the product subdivisions, what appears is a strong skimming, especially in the manufacturing, trade and agricultural sectors, which cannot fail to cause concern.

For Francesco Turcato, president of Confindustria Valle d'Aosta, the problem of the demographic decline and its economic and social repercussions is not confined to a specific territory: 'The demographic challenge is the decisive challenge facing the entire Italian economy, because it impacts on skills and productivity, but it also reverberates on the generational change at the helm of companies.

Turcato refers to the latest ISTAT data for 2023, which 'place Valle d'Aosta in last place in the North both in terms of natural balance and resident population, which has dropped by 0.2%. It is precisely this last figure that certifies a reduced attractiveness, especially when looking at the younger age groups'.

These dynamics manifest themselves despite the fact that 'the production system is lively, tourism is a growing sector worldwide, especially in winter, and the welfare system in Valle d'Aosta guarantees good performance,' the president of Confindustria Valle d'Aosta emphasises.

Evidently, the incentives to stay or move to the region are not enough. "Too little to generate even an effective retention of the young people who are born and study here," analyses Francesco Turcato. "You cannot think that these trends do not have an impact on the resilience of the manufacturing industrial fabric, just like the scarcity of infrastructure. Because working here means moving here with the whole family, as there are no fast connections with Turin or Milan that allow for sustainable commuting. These are problems that we have been pointing out for some time, Confindustria Vall d'Aosta is very active in its relationship with schools, from primary school onwards, with projects such as Eureka Funziona and Pmi Day, the dialogue with the Region is constant, but these are phenomena that take decades to be reversed'.

carloandrea.finotto@ilsole24ore.com

© REPRODUCTION RESERVED