The Italian Plan for Industry 4.0

Italy's industrial policies are strongly conditioned by the emergency context that characterizes the whole of Europe (and of the world, excluding China).
A good example of this is the fact that, in 2020 and until today, the Italian Parliament approved a budget "overrun" of approximately 100 billion, dedicated to emergency measures resulting from lockdowns; moreover, the draft of the Italian Budget Law for 2021 provides for a new "COVID emergency fund" (approximately 10 billion budget) to support the production activities most affected by the pandemic. Finally, the extraordinary unemployment benefits and the freeze on layoffs are confirmed until March 31, 2021.
 

It is an extraordinary situation, from which it will be possible to exit only as Europe and not as individual countries.
On November 16, The Council adopted a crucial set of conclusions setting out how recovery from the COVID-19 crisis can be used as leverage for a competitive European industry; in these conclusions, the Council stresses the need for European solidarity to master a sustainable economic recovery and a long-term sustainable future of the EU industry.
Moreover, the Council again clearly stated that the key elements for the future of European industry are investments for green and digital transition.
 

In this context, and with regard to the necessary support to private investments, for the next year it is necessary that every European country reinforce the measures already in place and use the funds available from the Recovery Fund giving a quick overview of the situation in Italy, it is planned for 2021 the strengthening of the Italian plan for industry 4.0 (called "Transizione 4.0").
By sharing, at least in part, our proposals, the Government is expected to increase the incentives on 4.0 investments (both in tangible assets and in software) and, above all, these measures will have a longer time horizon with a duration of at least the next two years and half. 
In addition, the Italian plan will be strengthened to more effectively support the investments of companies dedicated to R&D, investments in technological innovation aimed at the creation of new or substantially improved products or production processes, and for investments to achieve objectives linked to environmental sustainability or digital innovation 4.0.

Alessandro Maggioni
Director at AVR, Italy