Orsini: the EU did everything to destroy the industry, now it must be protected

The tariffs do 'worry' but what 'worries most' and what 'many are underestimating is the euro-dollar exchange rate. That is the big difference that takes away our competitiveness'. This was said by Emanuele Orsini, president of Confindustria, at the Festa nazionale dell'Unità in Reggio Emilia, participating in the debate 'The economy and Italian companies between tariffs and uncertainties'. 'The real chapter,' he remarked, 'is that we in Europe are doing nothing' to attract capital. "That is why we have said that we should do it soon, also thinking about Eurobonds'.

In recent years 'Europe has done everything to destroy the car, the automotive industry' and industry in general, and even now that the EU Commission seems to want to partially correct the course the words 'technological neutrality' and 'technological freedom' are still missing. "We have done everything," warned Orsini, "to deindustrialise Europe with the choices made by the previous European Commission", which "we hope, this European Commission will not continue, but unfortunately it does not seem to me to be so aligned with our requests". For the leader of the industrialists also 'on footwear, leather goods, pharmaceuticals we are doing everything to make our companies run away from Europe. So here too we need to do some serious thinking, because the truth is that when regulations are thought up in Europe we do not think about the effect they generate'.

Draghi's monition, for the president of Confindustria 'has been coming for a few years already'. And it has always been ignored. "What we are asking Europe to do is to do it soon."

Orsini then recalled that almost all business support measures are expiring. Industry 4.0, Industry 5.0. Zes. Research and development. "As Confindustria we expect that if industry really is at the centre then we put it at the centre. That does not mean we are giving them money. If I have a tax credit at 30 per cent to build a new machine or set up a new factory, I pay 22 per cent VAT on that 100 per cent investment. And I generate new employment: at that point it is a win-win. I give the example of the 4.8 billion put into the South, which generated 28 billion in investments and 35,000 hires. We did our job there,' Orsini continued. On the manoeuvre 'two ways are needed, one way to support medium, micro and small enterprises. And the way for large enterprises. And let's not forget to create tax breaks to bring the small ones together'.

'With the Democratic Party we have reasoned on competitiveness and investment. That is the way,' Orsini said again on the sidelines of the debate at the Festa Nazionale dell'Unità in Reggio Emilia, recalling that 'thanks to the measure for the ZES, 4.8 billion has been allocated and has generated 28 billion in investment and 35,000 jobs'. 'We obviously have meetings with all the political secretaries and all the economic leaders of the various parties,' Orsini explained. 'Obviously the Democratic Party is an important party in this country. Confindustria must do one simple thing: collect the demands of companies, which today, out of approximately 900 billion in state revenue, over two-thirds comes from companies that provide jobs'.