Government officials: 'Finding resources to manage high material costs, risk of 13,000 construction sites being blocked'

A negotiation table is underway in the Sala Verde of Palazzo Chigi between the government and social partners regarding the 2027 Budget Law. At the first meeting, scheduled for 9 am and chaired by Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano to the Presidency of the Council, employer and sector organizations are participating. For the executive branch, the ministers present are Giancarlo Giorgetti (Economy and Finance); Adolfo Urso (Businesses and Made in Italy); Marina Calderone (Labor and Social Policies); Gilberto Pichetto Fratin (Environment and Energy Security); Giuseppe Valditara (Education and Merit); Orazio Schillaci (Health); Gianmarco Mazzi (Tourism); for Family, Birth Rates, and Equal Opportunities; Luca Ciriani (Parliamentary Relations); and Paolo Zangrillo (Public Administration). Also present is Undersecretary Luigi Sbarra for Policies for the South. Representing business associations, productive sectors, and other associative entities are Confindustria, Abi, Ania, Alleanza Cooperative italiane (Agci, Confcooperative, Legacoop), Ance, Anpit, Assonime, Cnl, Confapi, Confdas, Confediliza, Confimprese Italia, Confimi Industria, Conflavoro Pmi, Confprofessioni, Cosmed, Finco, and Unicoop. "Today we will ask for continuity in public and private investments made in construction, which have contributed greatly to growth and employment, because a quarter of job growth is linked to the construction sector." Romain Bocognani, the general director of Ance, said, "In particular, we will ask for two things: the first being finding resources for the high cost of materials on construction sites, otherwise I warn that construction sites will shut down." The necessary resources, he recalled, are "1.4 billion for 13 thousand construction sites in Italy and 7 thousand companies." "The other issue" that Ance will raise at the table with the government regarding the budget is the spreading of credits for the Superbonus, which risks taking liquidity away from businesses, and we demand attention to the more serious companies that have held the credit and have many employees." Bocognani explained that Ance's proposal is to exempt these companies, which would represent 20% of the situation regarding the credit spreading.