Rapallo – More light than shadow for Liguria’s economy which, if its weak point is infrastructure, can count on an increase in GDP above the national average, on Pnrr funds as a percentage higher than the weight on GDP, on an increase in employment and a decrease in NEETs, that is, inactive young people. These data emerged in Rapallo during the presentation of the 8th edition of the strategic report ‘Liguria 2030’ organized by The European House – Ambrosetti with the support of the Liguria Region. The forum highlighted crucial issues for the development of the region, including innovation, physical and digital infrastructure, port system, maritime economy, green transition, tourism and culture. The report highlights the development vision and state of play of regional infrastructure.
Liguria recorded growth of +5.1% in 2022, ranking 4th at the national level, while the estimates for 2024 and 2025 indicate an increase in GDP of 1% and 1.4% respectively. Exports are confirmed as a pillar of the Ligurian economy, with an increase of +33% in 2022 and an export value exceeding 10 billion euros for 2023. The employment rate also shows positive signs, with growth compared to the pre-Covid period among the highest in Italy, and a significant decrease in NEETs. On the infrastructure front, the report highlights significant delays that could translate into a potential loss of value of 4.2 billion euros cumulated by 2030. But the completion of the works could lead to an estimated increase in regional GDP of 8.4 billion. The ecological transition is another key theme, with room for improvement in separate waste collection and energy production from renewables. Liguria confirms its leadership in Italy in terms of percentage incidence of maritime economy businesses and for berths and tourist landing places.
Average age of the population, timetable of works and Pnrr funds
By 2040, the average age of Liguria could increase to over 53 years with a loss of jobs that could reach 160 thousand units. This is a scenario illustrated this morning by the Ambrosetti forum underway in Rapallo. Against this possible decline, investments in infrastructure, both physical and digital, promoted by the Pnrr, are considered to be the best antidote. the deputy minister of Transport Edoardo Rixi, among the guests of the Forum, spoke of the need for a “comprehensive timetable of Ligurian works”, the mayor of Imperia Claudio Scajola, of the difficulty of connecting his city to the capital – “from Imperia to Nice airport it takes an hour and in Nice there are 144 destinations. From Imperia to Genoa it takes an unpredictable amount of time and there are 5 destinations” – the mayor of Savona Marco Russo asked for greater investments in the ports of Savona and Vado – “we have to talk about it today, tomorrow is too late” – and the mayor of Genoa Marco Bucci made an appeal: “we have been good at obtaining so much funding, let’s not waste time in putting it on the ground”
“The analyses – explains Valerio De Molli, managing partner and CEO of The European House – Ambrosetti – are extremely positive and they convey the image of a dynamic territorycompetitive on a national and international scale and strongly oriented towards innovation. The three strategic areas identified for this edition (physical and digital infrastructures and ecological transition) are absolutely priorities for the sustainable and lasting growth of the territory, which must continue to represent a logistics hub and innovation hub for the country”.
Deputy Minister Rixi: “Positive numbers and growing trends for Liguria”
”Liguria continues to show signs of economic growth, consolidating a robust and sustainable recovery. The data indicates a positive trend in various key sectors of the local economy, confirming the joint efforts of institutions, businesses and citizens. In particular, it is the first region in terms of percentage incidence of maritime economy companies and turnover of floriculture companies, the second in terms of number of cruise passengers at a national level and the second in terms of average age of trains. With a GDP aligned with the national average, exports set another historic record in 2023 with 10.7 billion euros and growth compared to 2019 which places the region in first place among those of the North and in fifth place at a national level . The employment rate is also at record values with 72.2% in 2023, the highest growth in Italy compared to 2019. At the same time, the share of young people who do not study or work falls to an all-time low, with lower values than the national average. The positive results testify to the effectiveness of the strategies adopted and the constant commitment of the institutions for a future of growth and sustainable development for the entire region.” This was stated by the Lega deputy and deputy minister of Infrastructure and Transport, Edoardo Rixi at margin of the eighth edition of The European House – Ambrosetti ‘Think Tank Liguria 2030’ forum underway in Rapallo.
Regional councilor Alessio Piana: “A healthy Liguria emerges from the data”
“From the picture presented today, a healthy Liguria emerges, with the GDP growing more than the national average in the last three years (+5.1% in 2022, +0.8% in 2023 and +1% in 2024), as well as exports (+50.1% compared to pre-Covid) and employment which reached the historic record of 72% and the consequent reduction in the percentage of NEETs (11.3% in 2023 against 20.4% in 2020), those young people who neither study nor work – underlines the regional councilor for economic development and coordinator of the provincial tables Alessio Piana – The role of our ports is central, which gives us a region that is in first place in the national blue economy ranking (10.5% of Ligurian companies are active in the maritime economy) and of TEUs handled (34.3% of the national total). Numbers which, in perspective, are destined to grow thanks to the important infrastructures arriving in Liguria between now and the next few years. Lots of lights, but also some sectors on which to continue working to perform better, such as renewables and research. Areas on which the Liguria Region pays great attention, which will see us as protagonists on the one hand with the definition of the Regional Environmental Energy Plan (PEAR 2030) and on the other with the implementation of the three-year regional Research and Innovation program which will bring a total of 238 millions in the territory. I thank – adds councilor Alessio Piana – all those who worked on this new edition of the Ambrosetti Forum who made the discussion possible and participated with the partners, category representatives, associations, the Chamber System, the Port System, Confindustria , trade unions, research bodies and universities. Individuals who were not only proactive, but fundamental in identifying the tools and actions necessary to accompany the growth and development of our region”.
Councilor Scajola: “The law on urban regeneration is a model of excellence at a national level”
The law on urban regeneration is a model of excellence at a national level. During the 8th “Liguria 2030” forum, the Liguria Region Councilor for Urban Planning Marco Scajola presented the measure passed by the Ligurian executive in 2018 as a best practice. “Thanks to this law, which was also discussed in the Senate – Scajola recalled – it was possible to redevelop the existing building heritage of degraded suburbs and historic centers and improve the quality of life of citizens, two above all the redevelopment intervention in Begato and in the Pigna neighborhood in Sanremo”. The urban regeneration law provides, in short, a collaboration between the public and private sectors on a building measure that can on the one hand best satisfy entrepreneurial expectations in exchange for a series of public services, at zero cost. The law born in 2018 is followed by the Re
gional Urban Regeneration Program of 2021 as well as school building interventions.
Christmas (Pd): “There’s not much to celebrate”
“We knew that the council would rejoice for the first place in container handling (although it must be underlined that it dropped by 4.5%), as well as for the number of cruise passengers or for the turnover of floriculture, but there is no record, these data can be considered obvious: they are the result of the location and territorial peculiarities of Liguria. The credit for the trend of these numbers can be attributed to the policies of the center-right in the Region”. Davide Natale, secretary of the Liguria Democratic Party, writes this in a note. “What emerges when looking at all the data, and not just a part, is that, once again, Liguria is the last region for the production of electricity from renewable sources: a figure that demonstrates the absence of any planning and desire to accompany the energy transition from fossil fuels to new technologies. We are 11th in terms of exports per inhabitant, tenth in terms of employment rate and 13th in terms of number of graduates, but there are three figures that are of greatest concern: 13th place in terms of employment. the added value of the industry, the 15th for innovative startups and the 16th for female businesses. Where the Region could have applied growth policies, there is a void – continues Natale – a region that ranks eleventh for citizens at risk of poverty and tenth for life expectancy and 18th for children enrolled in nursery school. All these data put together demonstrate the failure of the center-right and confirm the need for a vigorous change step that this council is not able to take, even more so today with a president under house arrest – concludes Natale -. We support Liguria and a different region and we want to build it together with the Ligurians.”
#Liguria #economy #growing #weak #point #remains #infrastructure #European #House #Ambrosetti #forum #Rapallo
