Italian digital growth is one of the main objectives of the current government. Bridging the existing gap with other countries does not seem to be an impossible goal. In order to continue on the path of innovation and development, Assonime (Association of Joint Stock Companies) has drawn up the report "Single digital market: the challenges for public policy in Italy", containing twenty operational indications aimed at promoting the advancement digital of our country.
The document, the result of a working group coordinated by Franco Bassanini together with Elio Catania, was also sent to the Executive in view of upcoming developments in the field of digital ("Industry 4.0" package, start of Diego Piacentini's activities as Commissioner for digital, revision of the CAD).
The report shows that digital Italy still occupies a backward position in Europe (27th in the EU for connection quality and 24th for human capital) even if the gap - he points out - is narrowing. According to Assonime, the only way to follow to fill it completely is to put in place “strong and stable governance of the digital agenda in Italy. Furthermore, national public policy "must be closely integrated with the European one".
With the Strategy for digital growth 2014-2020 and the ultra-broadband plan - explains the association - a systematic approach has been adopted, based on priority objectives and actions. However, it is necessary to speed up the implementation of projects (Spid, National Registry) and in the creation of the network, bearing in mind that in the future the order of magnitude will be Gigabits.
As regards the e-government theme, Italy has recorded substantial developments, from the register of companies to relations with the tax authorities, passing through the electronic market of the PA. "But so far - underlines Assonime - digitization has not changed the way administrations operate and the number of obligations for users". At this juncture, therefore, it is necessary to proceed using a new perspective that provides for a digital rethinking of administrative processes, looking at the point of view of citizens and businesses. According to the indications provided by the report, only through a profound re-engineering of processes can e-government make the PA more efficient and reduce public spending.
Speaking instead of the e-commerce, the European Union has the task of providing community rules that influence the Digital Single Market Strategy. Assonime identifies four guiding principles to be proposed at European level: strengthening users' trust in the use of online transactions (protection of consumers and personal data, IT security); regularly review legislation to remove barriers to innovation; avoid disproportionate burdens on operators; ensure the level playing field by reducing constraints on business activity whenever possible.
Finally, in terms of industrial policy, in order to support Italian SMEs in the task of promptly tackling the challenges of digital transformation, it is necessary to carry out organic interventions that finally overcome the fragmentation and disorganization established up to now. It is necessary, on the basis of what is written in the report drawn up by the association, a national alliance for innovation that enhances the complementary roles that can be played in favor of SMEs by universities, research centers and business associations. For incentives instead, the positive experience of the new Sabatini it can provide the blueprint for a new instrument aimed at supporting investments with a significant impact on innovation.
Attachments: Assonime report "Digital single market: the challenges for public policy in Italy"
