"We have lost 690 jobs considering the entire construction chain and it is estimated that 50.000-80.000 people, currently on layoffs, may not be reintegrated. 11.200 construction companies went bankrupt and 28-30% of companies are unable to last another year due to lack of liquidity”. The alarm was sounded by Paolo Buzzetti, president of ANCE, the National Association of Building Builders, who held the annual meeting today.
Compared to 2007 credit in support of companies in the sector decreased by 77 billion – Buzzetti recalled – and public works have halved. Meanwhile, the housing market is “practically at a standstill: the purchase of new homes by households fell by 74 billion compared to 6 years ago – said the number one of the builders -. The Imu has contributed in a decisive way to this fall”.
To resolve the situation, Ance has studied together with the ABI a proposal for covered bonds to finance mortgages to families for the purchase of energy-efficient homes, but for Buzzetti it is "equally urgent to substantially review the Imu , which led to an increase in the asset levy of 367% and contributed to blocking the rental market”. It would then be necessary to restart "the great plan for social housing and social housing, such as the Fanfani plan, which could create thousands of jobs and satisfy the needs of the weakest sections of the population".
“It must be recognized that the current government has made a good start – continued Buzzetti -. The eco-bonus decree and the first tranche of payments from the public administration go in the right direction. But that's not enough. A shock therapy is needed to save us from deindustrialization”. According to Buzzetti "we need a Marshall plan for recovery” and “pay all businesses immediately. The first payments are coming. But there is a need for guarantees that businesses are paid even in 2014 ".
L'Ance also proposes to loosen up the stability pact for schools, maintenance and safety: “Europe is starting to do it with the golden rule – said Buzzetti – why don't we do it at home too? There are 30 schools at risk, thousands of public buildings, starting with hospitals, that need to be secured. There is the largest historical-artistic heritage in the world to be protected and valued: an example for all Pompeii, which is in disastrous conditions”.
Also according to Giorgio Squinzi, president of Confindustria, “we need to start again from the world of construction. Look at what is happening in the United States, where the recovery is essentially driven by the restart of the world of residential, commercial and infrastructure construction".
