How to reduce the North-South gap? One point is clear on the Draghi government's agenda: “Becoming capable of spending European funds and doing it well is an objective of this government. We want to stop the gap from widening and direct these funds to women and young people in particular”. The Prime Minister reminds everyone - speaking at the "SUD - Projects to restart" conference - that the "Next Generation EU" program provides for 191,5 billion for Italy to spend by 2026. Strengthen territorial cohesion in Europe and encourage the digital and ecological transition are some of its objectives. This means “restarting the process of convergence between the South and the centre-North which has been at a standstill for decades. On the contrary – underlined Mario Draghi – from the beginning of the 70s to today it has greatly worsened”. Being able to reduce the gap is also "a step towards recovering trust in legality and in institutions, be they schools, health care or justice", but it cannot fall from above: 2the role of the ruling classes is crucial" he concluded the premier
Here are some data. "The product per person in the South it went from 65% of the Center and North to 55%. In recent years, there has been a sharp decline in public investment, which obviously affected the South along with the rest of the country. Between 2008 and 2018, public investment spending in fact, in the South it has more than halved and has gone from 21 to just over 10 billion”.
The Research and Entrepreneurship Foundation presented its proposals at the conference. The video conference was promoted by Minister Mara Carfagna to listen to institutions, experts and individual citizens in preparation of the Recovery Plan and the partnership agreement on European funds 2021-27.
Here, in detail, are the five ideas proposed by the R&I Foundation for "a new development in the south of the country - reads a statement - so that the Next Generation Europe plan can be an opportunity to enhance the role and specificities of the southern economy ”.
- Southern Italy as growth potential for the country: a historic opportunity, in a context in which the sustainability of the growing public debt requires higher GDP growth than in the past.
- Rereading the Noon: high-tech as a primary lever for growth, already present in the area with some large companies.
- The availability of human resources qualified for a high-tech development it can become a strategic resource if the brain drain is halted, enhancing the attractiveness of the territory.
- The new technological entrepreneurship it is also a resource already present, to be strengthened through interaction with large local businesses and technology transfer.
- Public subjects fundamental for a high-tech development, especially the University.
