A Europe that must 'change gear' and Italy that must make 'new courageous choices'. Thus Emanuele Orsini from the stage during his first speech at the Confindustria public assembly, outlined the difficulties and prospects for industry and the country, faced with energy, environmental and digital transitions, in an uncertain scenario, pointing to three directions: 'Competitiveness, productivity and community'.

La budgetary manoeuvre is just around the corner and measures are needed to increase the competitiveness and productivity of companies: the cut in the tax wedge 'must be made permanent'; the housing plan, i.e. an extraordinary construction project for newly hired workers, to make up for the lack of jobs; energy, relaunching the latest generation of nuclear power; reforms and investments to look beyond the NRP.

But the scope must be even wider: 'Today more than ever we need a solid industrial policy,' said President Orsini. To be implemented according to the three competitiveness, productivity and community. The leader of the industrialists indicated a course that found unity of purpose in the government, which emerged from the speech of the Prime Minister, Giorgia Melonistarting with increasing productivity. It is the economic momentum, with industrial production "having been negative for eighteen months," said Orsini, that makes it necessary to "collective responsibility"of all social and political actors in the country. "The protection of industry, manufacturing and social cohesion must go hand in hand. Confindustria, the companies, are ready to play their part, ready for dialogue. With the government and with the trade unions,' Orsini emphasised, speaking before a large audience of entrepreneurs and authorities gathered for the annual Confindustria Assembly at the Parco della Musica.

Meloni applauded wholeheartedly, along with the entrepreneurs, when Orsini said that 'there is an Italy that moves Italy forward by overcoming obstacles of all kinds, and there is an Italy that puts up obstacles, that hides behind the bureaucracy and avoiding responsibility'. A harmony with the government emerged in Orsini's words, with dialogue initiated on certain measures, such as the house planthe nuclearthe countering the European targets of the Green Dealand confirmed by Premier Meloni, who decided to intervene. A sign of attention that the President of Confindustria emphasised, thanking her: 'We really appreciate this sensitivity of yours. And from Meloni, Orsini had a public acknowledgement of the role of industry as an engine of wealth and the sharing of the topics on the agenda. A 'joint action' must be carried out with the trade union, che took up the invitation to get to the heart of the matter: 'we have a lot to do together, we are ready to start a confrontation'. On security, Orsini emphasised the importance of the preventionproposing a permanent round table and a pact for construction site safety. 'Our social responsibility towards work, towards its dignity and towards people's health,' stressed the leader of the industrialists, 'requires us to propose effective solutions. We must not forget that we are talking about our employees, the invaluable assets of our companies'. Still on the subject of labour, there is the issue of wages: Confindustria in the contracts provides for higher figures than the minimum wage by law. We defend the principle that the wage, in all its components, is established in contracts, national and company, negotiated with the union. We say to the union that it is time for joint action to oppose too many contracts signed by subjects of inadequate representation. It is time to join forces to show a different way to the too many sectors where incongruous wages and tax and contribution irregularities coexist. In the same way we must increase productivity. This is a word that sounds almost divisive, instead it must be understood as synonymous with the wealth of the country: because an increase in it leads to a growth in GDP, i.e. an improvement in living standards, which benefits everyone.

Coming up are the Economic Manoeuvre and the Structural Budget PlanWe give credit to the government for wanting to keep a straight tiller on the public accounts and we thank him,' said Orsini. We need the reforms and must be launched investment incentivesto continue after 2026 the thrust of Industry 5.0going beyond the NRP, otherwise 'we risk a stalemate or even a step backwards'. Investments in the Mezzogiorno must be given continuity. Good the Single Zes "but we are concerned about the risk of unbundling the competences of the Department for the South", well the Strait Bridgeif linked to a rail and road system. The resources? A gradual savings plan on the more than 1.2 trillion in public spending. This would make it possible to continue the budget reduction and finance growth measures in a structural manner. Through measures such as a bonus rate on IRES for reinvested profits, the abolition of IRAP for corporations, and the reinstatement of Ace.

"We are not just asking," Orsini emphasised, "companies are ready to review fiscal expenditures and zero-cost reforms will be presented to the government shortly. With the companies ready to play their part, 'in a fair confrontation and with certain rules'.

Industrialists' priorities:

HELP TO NEO-AXILIENTS

Extraordinary Building Plan against the housing shortage at a sustainable cost for newly hired workers. Confindustria has proposed (with the government's consent) a joint round table with Ance, Anci, insurance companies, banks, Cdp, real estate funds and pension funds: the aim is to study financial guarantee formulas so as to allow 'patient funds' to implement the projects while guaranteeing a sustainable rent.

TAXATION

The cutting must be made permanent. The 3.1% growth of the wage bill in Italy between January-June 2024 is an important sign of the recovery of purchasing power. The wage increase also came about due to the contract increases signed by Confindustria. Therefore, the tax wedge cut must be made permanent, because if wages are below the European average, labour costs are higher.

JOINT ACTIONS WITH THE UNION

With the trade unions we have a lot to do together, and we are ready to start a discussion first on work-related accidents. It is an issue on which we have immediately promised to do everything in our power to contain it, reduce it, bring it down. We must act on prevention and set up a permanent table to monitor and verify safety regulations. Then there is the issue of pay. We defend the principle that wages, in all their components, are established in contracts, national and corporate, by negotiating with the union: we must oppose contracts signed by subjects of inadequate representation. At the same time we must increase productivity.

SPENDING CUTS AND GROWTH MEASURES

A intervention gradual saving of the more than 1.2 trillion in public spending would make it possible not to jeopardise the budget reduction targets and at the same time to finance pro-growth measures. These include the introduction of the premium rate on IRES for reinvested profits, the abolition of IRAP for corporations, and the reinstatement of Ace.

BREAKTHROUGH ON ENERGY

The return to nuclear power is a strategic choice so that we do not continue to pay for energy up to 40% more than the European average and supply ourselves at increasing prices from the old French power plants. It should be explained to the public that small modular reactors are much safer and less invasive on the territory than large old generation power plants. "Energy independence is a matter of national security. We cannot waste any more time. And we need a single market of the'energy".

EUROPE

"The challenges facing the Europe of 27 are cyclopean and the decarbonisation pursued even at the price of deindustrialisation is a debacle. We need to combine environmental goals with the protection and development of industry. "The Green Deal is steeped in too many mistakes that have put and are putting the industrial system at risk'. The endothermic engine stop in 2035 must be moved forward immediately without waiting until 2026. The industry is environmentally aware: the packaging sector has reached the environmental targets set by the Commission ahead of time, ceramics has invested over 2 billion in technological innovation. Europe's environmental and energy policies need to be reviewed. Also discilpine ETS did not work and is conditioned by financial speculation.

CHOICES FOR THE FUTURE

Birth rate, immigrants and youth. Measures on the demographic emergency to support the birth rate and measures for regular migration flows to bridge the gap between labour supply and demand must find a place in the structural budget plan. Young people who have gained significant experience must be brought back home, in order to avoid wasting fundamental know-how.

Attached is the Report of President Emanuele Orsini to the General Assembly of Confindustria 2024 and some photos.

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