Single SEZ accelerates and launches 1.5 billion in investments
The Special Economic Zone for the whole of the South, finally operational, authorises industrial and infrastructure plans
by Vera Viola
3' min read
3' min read
The Single Economic Zones for Southern Italy finally took off. After months of uncertainty, in just one quarter (from August to October 2024) the activity of issuing investment authorisations has restarted across the entire southern territory, including Abruzzo and Molise. In figures, according to data provided by the structure of the Single Economic Zone itself, 300 authorisations were issued, unlocking investments worth around 1.5 billion.
What has enabled this acceleration? The coordinator for the SEZ, Giosy Romano, who took over from the former Antonio Caponetto in August, undoubtedly speaks of the 'effectiveness of the services conference and the bureaucratic streamlining of the special economic zone'. But it is a fact that the arrival of Romano (former commissioner of Calabria and Campania) has quickly unblocked the impasse in which the Single Economic Zone was poured.
The Maximall Pompeii mega shopping centre, between Torre Annunziata and Pompei, will be inaugurated in a few days: an important urban redevelopment project for a degraded area, albeit closely connected to the archaeological park, which, although it started a few years ago, has gained momentum with the ZES (see the article opposite), although the Strategic Plan has not yet been launched.
Numerous investment proposals were submitted by companies in the food sector. And especially from the district of canned vegetables in the Agro Nocerino Sarnese. Suffice it to mention Solania, from San Valentino Torio, which will invest 10 million to build a tomato processing plant. 'This is one of the most dynamic production districts in Italy,' explains Romano, 'which has grown a lot, but with few spaces. So much so that many factories are located in highly urbanised areas. But industry needs space and, in the case of vegetable preserves processing, also agricultural land. Only in the ZES area does the authorisation constitute a variant to the urban planning instrument and manage to combine both agricultural and industrial use. An opportunity that companies know they must seize'.
Tourism companies are also showing great interest in investments in the Single Economic Zone areas. A significant case for the size of the investment is the one in Apulia: in the province of Taranto, a resort will be built with an investment of 200 million and with collateral activities such as local food production. The project had been presented for some time, but only got the go-ahead in September. Masseria La Maviglia, a complex of more than 200 hectares, located in Maruggio, in the province of Taranto, was purchased by the Swiss company Ultimate Collection, led by entrepreneur Nicola Cortese. The purchase of the land and masseria was concluded for 13 million. Management will be direct and no partnerships with specialised global chains are expected. The plan also provides for the creation of 500 direct jobs. In recent weeks, infrastructural works in Abruzzo worth 60 million Pnrr funds have been unblocked and are now starting, as confirmed by councillor Tiziana Magnacca.
