The anti-Dazi strategy: « Choose America ». Suddies and discounts, the USA courts Italian companies

Stick and carrot. The stick are 20%duties. The carrot the concessions and reliefs provided for by the US states for Italian companies that move overseas productions. Let me be clear: the selectusa plan to encourage settlements of foreign companies has been there since Obama’s time. But the Trump administration gave accelerated. TO March were held in all Italy. The main ones: on the 18th in Treviso, on 19 in Bologna, 20 in Milan and 21 in Naples. All with the support of Amcham, the American Chamber of Commerce in Italy. The meetings were attended by organizations for the development of the different stars and stripes states.

The meeting in Washington

The grand finale will be from 11 to 14 May, with the Italian entrepreneurs invited to Washington. « Those who already have a project to be developed in the USA will be able to participate – explains the delegated councilor of Amcham Simone collapsed -. During this event you can make comparisons and understand what is the most advantageous context to implant your business. All states will be present, from Alabama to Wisconsin. In fact, in competition with each other in the offer of incentives, from the training of personnel, to the cutting of taxes for the first years, up to the contributions with a lost fund « .

The delegation

Last year the Italian delegation was made up of about thirty entrepreneurs but today those concerned (registrations are still open) are many more. On the other hand, Trump has just dropped the ace: duties that for many companies put a precious altitude of exports at risk with high marginality. Of which it is difficult to do without.

The risk of escape

Confindustria herself said clearly: « The risk is the escape of companies and capital in the USA ». The executive president of Pirelli Marco Tronchetti Provera explained that « the CEO and one of our teams are in Atlanta to start discussions to increase our production capacity in the USA « . « We are doing an evaluation work to understand if a part of what we sell on the US market can be produced there, in the United States, » the managing director of Illycaffè Cristina Scocchia said at the beginning of the week.

The choice of Granarolo

Adding: « We hope it is not necessary ». The group of food Granarolo intends to expand the plant in the Connecticut and double the production. The same goes for Lavazza, who announced that he wants to accelerate investments in Philadelphia.

The focus on medium enterprises

Then there are all the medium -sized enterprises that support the country’s economy. For them, it is more difficult to relocate. But they are thinking about it. « I do not exclude anything – says Cristina Piovesana, president and managing director of Alf Group Spa, a Venetian reality in the furniture sector -. US duties have an important impact on a reality like ours that exports 70% of turnover. But the choice to move a piece of production to the USA also has many risks: the ecosystem of the supply chain is missing, to say one. Not to mention the staff: overseas there are not the same skills we have here ».

The output routes

Ways out? «The problem must be addressed at the root, Europe must resume its way to greater integration. Road that interrupted when the approval of the European Constitution in 2005 came out ».
The first country for exports of Emilia-Romagna are the United States. «After the meetings of the past few months, several entrepreneurs here ask questions – The president of Voilàp Holding and Confindustria Emilia Centro Valter Caiusi is noted -. But bringing a piece of production abroad is not an operation that is light -hearted. Many are waiting. Also because they do not trust Trump and his continuous change. Nobody wants to risk a wrong investment. And there are also those who trust in having products, for example in the field of machine tools, which Americans will not be able to replace easily « .