Bologna officials sign Confesercenti proposal to support local commerce

Bologna Mayor Matteo Lepore and Commerce Councilor Luisa Guidone have signed a proposal by Confesercenti to support neighborhood commerce and local services. The initiative, titled ‘Measures for the urban regeneration of commerce and proximity services’, is a popular legislative proposal aiming to collect 50,000 signatures by November.

The proposal focuses on establishing Special Economic Zones (SEZ) in specific geographic areas. These zones would offer significant tax breaks and improved conditions to combat the desertification of local businesses. Confesercenti reports that since the pandemic, Italy has seen the closure of over 111,000 commercial activities, resulting in an estimated wealth loss of more than 16 billion euros.

The campaign, named ‘The Heartbeat of the City’, has already received support from Michele de Pascale, President of the Emilia-Romagna Region. Confesercenti Bologna is actively collecting signatures through local booths to meet the national goal.