De Micheli: we are committed to resolving the issue of taxation without penalising the Italian port system

"The Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport- assured De Micheli - initiated a discussion with the Commission on the subject of port taxation, a constructive dialogue for the definition of an appropriate solution. We are committed - he minister - to resolve the issue of taxation without penalise the Italian port system and asking for all the flexibility necessary to make the most of activities with a public value carried out by ports. A we will soon arrive at a proposal to be formalized to the in agreement with all the players in the sector.'

It is not clear when this interlocution with the eu commission has been launched, as Brussels has long been announced its intention to impose on the Italian authorities to withdraw the exemption from the payment of the income tax of the company granted to national port authorities. Of course it is that if it started some time ago, evidently not has yielded the desired results.

Much less reassuring, for those who believe that today's brussels decision is wrong, De De's reassurance Micheli on the centrality of port the Italian economy and the economic resources allocated to it. Translated from the policy, one might, for example, argu that the underline is intended to reassure ports that, if burdened by this unexpected taxation, they will receive funds that will they will still be able to develop and compete. Or if you could infer that these resources are to compensate for the lot lost by the government. "The economy of the sea and the full enhancement of our maritime ports - in fact, he has nailed the Minister De Micheli - is one of the strategic cornerstones of the "Italia Veloce" infrastructure plan for the relaunch of the of our country. We have already allocated important funding to support ports in the crisis caused by the pandemic and a significant share of recovery fund resources will be to the port system to make a qualitative leap forward, in the direction of competitiveness and modernisation infrastructural.'

Much more concerned are the reactions of those who, as an operator, is a port user or works with port ports. "It is deals - commented the president of the federation of agents Italian seafarers Federagenti, Gian Enzo Duci, who is also vice-president of Conftrasporto -- of an intervention that we feared and on we had already expressed our fear that the Union might use "Northern European glasses" to read the port system Italian.' "Now, " continued Duci, "it is essential for the government to clarify and perimeters in a accurate what are the activities managed by ads that must be classified as taxable by indicating the revenues and costs to be taken into account.' A suggestion that a new season of conflict with the European Commission, given that it has repeatedly clarified what are the central issues, starting with the collection of concession fees.

The President of Federlogistica, Luigi Merlo, asked "that the Italian Government's response is firm and immediate. Impose port authorities forms of taxation similar to those private companies without going into detail about the regulated activities - he pointed out - would mean destroy the entire system on which the port is based Italian. The risk is to impose extra costs that would affect the efficiency of the system and also the companies dealers'.

"One account - commented the president of Assarmatori, Stefano Messina - is fulfilling an obligation to harmonise european union, which we do not believe can be discussed, another is to create an obstacle to the already difficult activity of our Port System Authority. We must prevent the cure kill the patient. This can only be done taking into account the the nature of these bodies and the objectives that the law entrusts to them by defining certain and unambiguous rules starting from the harmonisation concession fees and conditions for the issue of port concessions and authorisations.'

The presidents of Federagenti, Federlogistica and Assarmatori have announced that in the next few hours they will send the government a detailed dossier with which - explained Duci, Merlo and Messina - at least try to counter the risk that 'the absurd European imposition that forces a State to paying taxes to himself may affect the fees paid by the dealers and therefore on the costs for port users Italian. Dealers who are still waiting for the reductions promised by the government to deal with the Covid emergency. As if to say: another favour -- they lamented Duci, Merlo and Messina -- done to the northern European ports.'