The new Made in Italy 2021-2024 Plan is ready. E-commerce, vouchers for SMEs, trade fairs and the loyalty of demand abroad are the most important chapters. Over 605 million funds are available for the entire four-year period with which ICE Agenzia, the body responsible for implementing the Plan, will be able to carry out the individual projects that will be indicated in the agreement that will be signed with the ministry.
One of the most important citations is intended for trade fairs, among the subjects most affected by the pandemic, to which the Plan assigns 120 million in four years. To support them, 30 million euros per year are planned for the main Italian trade fairs of international level, which represent a strategic driving force for Italian exports.
Various lines of action are then aimed at increasing the competitiveness of Italian companies on international markets. To this end, the highest shares (80 million each) are assigned, on the one hand, to support the use of e-commerce tools by SMEs; On the other hand, to the organizational strengthening of start-ups as well as micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, in particular through the disbursement of non-repayable contributions in the form of vouchers.
For training and information on the opportunities offered by foreign markets to businesses, especially SMEs, the Plan allocates 10 million a year; finally, over 9.5 million on a 2021-2024 basis will be used to support micro and small enterprises to participate in European and international tenders.
The largest share of the Plan (32 million euros per year) will instead be used for the promotion of Italian products on foreign markets, for the creation of innovative promotional types for the acquisition and retention of demand from foreign markets. To these must be added 15 million a year, a support for the penetration of Italian products in the various markets, also through specific agreements with the distribution networks.
Finally, ample space for some specific product lines:
10 million a year will be allocated to carry out strategic promotion campaigns for agri-food products subject to increased duties and to combat the phenomenon of Italian sounding;
8 million a year will be used for the enhancement of excellent products, in particular agricultural and agri-food, and for the protection abroad of brands and certifications of quality and origin of companies and products.
Distinct from other export support actions proper, the line of intervention for foreign direct investments (FDI) stands out. The support for initiatives to promote investment opportunities in Italy, as well as the setting up of a support and assistance system for foreign investors in Italy, are fundamental for the economic growth of this country. To this end, therefore, the Plan allocates 4 million euros a year to support the attraction of foreign investments and which, even in this case, should be managed by ICE.
