The funds remain the same, 35 billion by the end of 2023, but the third installment drops by around 500 million, to 18.5 billion, and the fourth rises to 16.5: this was established after the agreement between the government and the EU on the Pnrr, communicated at the end of the control room meeting at Palazzo Chigi and chaired by the competent minister, Raffaele Fitto. The shift of resources from the third to the fourth installment is essentially due to a request for modification in the field of student accommodation reform, explains the government led by Giorgia Meloni, in order to insert a new milestone in the fourth installment, clarify the conditions and objectives of the measure and correct some clerical errors. “In agreement with the Commission”, underlines the executive, “the proposed changes will have no impact on the total amount of payments that Italy will receive in 2023 with the third and fourth installments (for a total amount of 35 billion euros). The third installment will provide for 54 objectives for 18.5 billion euros, while the fourth installment will include 28 objectives for 16.5 billion”, whereas previously the objectives were 55 and 27 respectively. The identified solution no longer envisages the creation of 7. 500 beds by the end of the year but directly 60 thousand by the end of 2026. Now Rome will formally present in Brussels the proposal to modify the fourth installment, which will be examined by the EU Commission and then by the Council of the European Union, “jointly – explains the government – with the other 10 proposals to modify the fourth installment already examined by the control room and presented to the Commission on 11 July”.
“We do not foresee changes to the total amount of payments that Italy should receive in 2023, taking into account both the third and fourth payment requests”, meanwhile EU sources also confirm. “We reiterate that we have been in contact with the Italian authorities on this subject and have had constructive exchanges”, in particular, on the “provision on student accommodation”. The EU Commissioner for the Economy, Paolo Gentiloni, is satisfied: “We have worked a lot in recent weeks, constructively, and I think that in the end the solution is very positive. Italy will achieve the objectives set for the third and fourth installments, according to the design of the plan”. Satisfaction also emerges from government sources because in the face of the challenges of the Pnrr, “an intense work has been carried out in recent months, with the contribution of all the competent administrations and without interruption, to complete the implementation phase, in constant contact with the offices of the European Commission”.
However, the opposition goes on the attack. The secretary of the Democratic Party, Elly Schlein, thunders: “It’s good that the third installment finally arrives but it demonstrates the inability of this government to manage this unique and unrepeatable plan for investments in our country. We are available to collaborate but this government needs a leap forward “. While the M5S attacks on student housing, on which, the Grillini deputies explain in the Education Committee, “we have been sounding the alarm in all offices for months. The cut for housing in the third installment of the Pnrr is a real failure whose responsibility falls entirely on this government “.
