On 21 February, the European Parliament will be called to express itself on the proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the European defense industrial development programme (EDIDP). The program aims to support the competitiveness and innovation capacity of the European defense industry.
In this regard, the general secretary of the Fim Cisl, Marco Bentivogli, intervened: "The European Council has already expressed itself in the first reading on an important compromise that represents a point of balance extremely important for our country and for non-EU companies operating in the aerospace sector and in defense and security in our country through the use of mechanisms such as the "golden power" which would allow, if necessary, to intervene with particular special powers when the national interest requires it”.
“We are talking – continued Bentivogli – of companies that employ 8200 employees in Italy between plants and research and development centers (e.g.: GE, Avio Aero, Mubadala, Piaggio Aerospace, etc.), for a total of investments of around 13 billion euros and which, allowing our country to be present in a decisive and leading role in this strategic sector which also involves other sectors such as civil aeronautics, control and radar systems and many excellent SMEs operating in related industries”.
The risk that the compromise reached could be revised by calling into question the possibility of being able to exclude ex-European companies from such loans is strong and it would therefore represent a great loss for Italy. “It is therefore important – concluded Bentivogli – that the Parliament confirms the compromise reached in the Council by allowing companies controlled by non-European owners but operating in Italy to participate in the programme. We therefore ask all the country's political forces to work to ensure that the Council's vote is confirmed".
