First of all, the ultra-fast "train" of the foreign company in Italy passed through Naples, Rome, Monza and Milan. In 2013, in fact, these are the provinces that recorded the most consistent growth rates of an army that is now close to 500 units, equal to 8,20% of the total number of companies registered in our country. An almost invincible army, given that the 497.080 companies, of which 384.318 led by non-EU foreign nationals, have expanded at a much higher rate than that of the total companies (+4,88% in 2013 against +0,21 .23.285% of the total), and, increasing by 12.681 units, made it possible to keep the balance sheet of the entire Italian entrepreneurial system in the positive field (increased, in the same period, by only XNUMX positions). These are the official data on the birth and death rate of businesses led by foreigners resulting from the Business Register of the Italian Chambers of Commerce, released today by Unioncamere.
“We are in the presence of a complete affirmation within our society of the 'foreigners' phenomenon, which can count both on the many businesses led by immigrants and on a vast pool of workforce employed within our production system, at all advantage also of social integration”, underlines the president of Unioncamere, Ferruccio Dardanello. "An overall employment force that provides a decisive contribution to the economic production of our country, as emerges from the estimates of Unioncamere on the added value deriving from the activity of foreign workers, which, in 2011, reached an incidence of 12,8%, equal to €178,5 billion in nominal terms. A contribution that needs to be further enhanced also by bringing out those "pockets of illegality" that risk overshadowing the many foreigners who honestly and passionately contribute to the development of the Italian system. For this – adds Dardanello- at the hearing at the Schengen Parliamentary Committee on the one hand, we have proposed to increase the market surveillance and sanctioning activities carried out by the Chambers of Commerce to discourage clandestinity that fuels the counterfeiting market, making a part of the proceeds deriving from the activity available to the Chambers of Commerce and the verification bodies sanctioning. On the other hand - concludes the president - we have explained the need to have access to the other databases of the Public Administrations in order to cross-reference the information over time with that contained in the Business Register and thus make a clearer demarcation between "real" companies, that actually operate legally on the market, and the "irregular" ones that in fact belong to an "empty" subject.
At the end of 2013, there are three regions in which more than one entrepreneur out of 10 is a citizen of foreign origin (Tuscany, 11,67%; Liguria, 10,51%; Friuli Venezia-Giulia, 10,15%) and 14 provinces in which foreign entrepreneurship exceeds 10% of the total local production fabric, with Prato (24,40 .14,13%), Florence (13,69%) and Trieste (15,25%) which firmly lead the ranking. In terms of dynamics, however, the provinces that recorded the highest growth rates were Naples (+9,49%), Rome (+8,32%), Monza and Brianza (+7,69%) and Milan (+175.213%). If in absolute values the most controlled activities are those of commerce (where there are 126.175 foreign-led companies) and construction (2013), in terms of dynamics, 3.043 saw a significant increase especially in rental companies, travel agencies and business services (+14,84 businesses equal to +400.583%). In terms of organizational structure, the extraordinary prevalence of sole proprietorships (7,70) is confirmed, although the trend towards an increase in joint-stock companies is also strengthening in the foreign universe (increased by 2013% in 61.177). As for the origin of the entrepreneurs - with reference only to sole proprietorships - the leading country remains Morocco, from which 2013 owners come. In 46.029, however, Romania (45.043) took the silver medal away from China (2013). However, the strongest increases recorded in 3.576 concerned Bangladesh (+XNUMX companies) in absolute terms.
Non-EU entrepreneurs pull the sprint to foreigners (+5,7%)
Among foreign companies, those led by non-EU citizens run faster, registering an increase of 2013% in 5,7 and a positive balance of 21 units. Thus, the number of companies headed by non-EU citizens rises to 384.318 (77% of immigrants), which alone represent 6,3% of the total number of companies. Trade (155.183 businesses) and construction (81.810) are the activities in which over 60% of non-EU businesses are concentrated. Manufacturing activities (33.911) and accommodation and restaurant services (28.038) follow with a certain detachment. But it is above all in business services that, in relative terms, the incidence of immigrant entrepreneurs on the total sector is higher (11,25% of registered businesses, for almost 19.000 initiatives), even if within a short distance we still find trade (10%) and construction (9,3%).
At the regional level, the incidence of non-EU companies on the entire production fabric reaches peaks of over 8% in Tuscany (9,1%), Liguria (8,6%) and Lombardy (8,1%) while at the provincial level it exceeds 10% in Prato (22,6%), Reggio Emilia (11,2%), Florence and Trieste (11%). But non-EU immigrant businesses are expanding in practically all Italian regions, with double-digit growth rates in 2013 compared to 2012 in Lazio (+10,4%; +4.192 businesses in absolute values) and in Campania ( +10,5%; +2.492 companies).
