Liguria, the Region aims to relaunch the hinterland

The Liguria Region has put in place a plan of measures to support the hinterland, with the aim of supporting businesses, traders, artisans and local administrations. Starting tomorrow, 24 November, the call for tenders dedicated to enterprises in municipalities with up to 5,000 inhabitants will open. This is direct support, up to a one-off sum of EUR 3,600, to help businesses cover expenses incurred in 2024 (rental and utility costs).

"This intervention,' stresses Councillor Alessio Piana, delegated to Economic Development, 'is part of an organic strategy that the Liguria Region is pursuing to support the hinterland, which is also strengthened by Regional Law 6/2025 and the new guidelines that provide for bonuses, reserves of funds, and preferential lanes for those who invest in the small municipalities of the inland areas.

Alongside this tool, 'which in its first window has already found the interest of 1,210 businesses,' Piana continues, 'we have made available a specific measure for those who want to open a new business in municipalities with up to 2,500 inhabitants. In this case, the support is EUR 300 per month for five years for those who start a business in these areas. It is an incentive aimed at favouring generational turnover, attracting young people and new professionalism, combating depopulation, and bringing jobs and services back to the most fragile areas, but also the richest in potential'.

Piana adds that he is 'also working, alongside the municipalities of the inland areas, with a new call for tenders dedicated to renewable energy, aimed at local authorities. The objective is twofold: on the one hand, to reduce energy costs for administrations and improve the efficiency of public facilities; on the other hand, to accompany a path of true energy transition in inland areas'.

The next few months will also see the opening of Garanzia Artigianato Liguria and Cassa Commercio Liguria, financial instruments that are "fundamental," says Piana, "to support investments by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises. Here too, additional bonuses are envisaged for inland businesses, with non-repayable contributions of 50% of the investments made, precisely to encourage those who choose to invest in our valleys, to modernise their business, to innovate machinery, equipment and services, creating stable employment even outside the large centres".