Italy finally puts an end to the European funds 2007-2013. A mountain of documents and figures coordinated by the Territorial Cohesion Agency is restoring to our country a positive image in the spending capacity of community resources. Environment, infrastructure, transport, mobility have absorbed overall 46,242 billion euros. In the final impetus, it went slightly above the planned 45,781 billion.
A good result, no doubt about it. The figures were disclosed by Maria Ludovica Agrò, director general of the Agency for Territorial Cohesion. A satisfaction for those in Rome and in the Regions who have worked hard to ease the brunt of the sanctions from Brussels. The European commissioners had not spared criticism and measures for the accumulated delays and for the lack of reporting. Their positions have long been supported by Italian companies.
The fact today is that for three years we have been in full planning of the 2014-2020 funds. And something still goes wrong. The needs of the southern territories have not yet had an operational outlet. Therefore there is a need to review many mechanisms. In the environmental and risk prevention sector, for example. Spending 2007-2013 was 2,7 billion, the fourth in order of importance after transport, research and education.
If the Regions of the Noon ensured that that money did not return to Brussels, now it becomes necessary to understand how they will quickly recover the investments up to 2020. There is no doubt - as Agrò claims - that the structural funds improve the territories and the quality of life of the citizens. But the point is how quickly you spend the money. Environment and landscape risk are the primary emergency for millions of people.
In 2014, Italy had spent only 26 billion of the total obtained by the EU. Then the fast march was put in place with the support of the Agency and things got better. Experience must warn against mistakes, mainly in sectors where people risk their lives. Last week the Minister for Cohesion, Claudio De Vincenti, was in Calabria where he ascertained the needs of a symbolic Region, one of the most in need of certainty, concreteness and speed.
The president of the Region Mario Oliverio and that of the industrialists Natale Mazzuca warned him of the danger of a cupio dissolvi (Oliverio's words) in the face of the dramatic conditions of entire areas of the Region. One of the territories in constant emergency in the South that knows what to do with the amount of structural funds. As long as you do it quickly.
