Emanuele Orsini: "Competitiveness must be at the center. A national plan for energy and the country's growth can take off"
Emanuele Orsini emphasizes the importance of maintaining manufacturing in Europe to prevent deindustrialization and calls for a clear national energy strategy.
Emanuele Orsini, the president of Confindustria, asserts that the primary focus for the Italian and European industry must be to sustain manufacturing and avert deindustrialization. He argues that a well-defined industrial policy involving energy, bureaucracy, and competitiveness is essential, stating the urgency of establishing a collective vision for the future to construct effective strategies. Without this vision, progress becomes unattainable.
Orsini critiques the current European response to global competition, highlighting the aggressive industrial policies of the United States and China's ability to compete without the same social and environmental constraints faced by Europe. He warns that a failure to react to these dynamics could result in significant losses in industry, which would consequently lead to diminished employment opportunities and a decline in the welfare state. This context underscores the urgent need for Europe to refine its approach to industrial policies to safeguard its economic future.
In discussing the recent budget law, Orsini notes that while Confindustria initially criticized the government's fiscal focus on public finances, the organization ultimately acknowledged positive outcomes from the budget's provisions. This shift in opinion illustrates a changing sentiment regarding governmental support for industry and highlights the complexity of balancing fiscal responsibility with the need for industrial growth, reflecting the broader concerns and aspirations of Italy's industrial sector amidst evolving global economic pressures.