LA STAMPA, LA REPUBBLICA, CORRIERE DELLA SERA (Italy)
ROME - Italy's struggling economy appears to have at least one good shot at bouncing back: immigrant entrepreneurs. According to La Stampa, the businesses of non-EU immigrants account for 5.7% of Italy's GDP.
Confesercenti, the Italian association for small and medium businesses, says the number of small businesses owned by non-Italians has increased in the last nine months by 13,000 units. Meanwhile, Italian-owned small businesses have decreased by 24,500 units.
The study follows similar findings in other European countries, notably Germany where one in three new businesses are launched by immigrants.
In Italy, African countries dominate the list (Morocco 57,000 units, Senegal 15,851, Egypt 13,023 and Tunisia 12,348) while Chinese-owned businesses have increased by 6% from last year.
Albanians also play a big part, especially in the construction industry. La Repubblica acknowledges the difficulties that these business owners face to open a business in Italy. It’s not just a language barrier they must face but the agonizing bureaucracy too.
Corriere della Sera notes that more than 57% of these businesses are concentrated in five regions: Lombardy, Tuscany, Emilia-Romagna, Veneto and Lazio. The main industries involved are manufacturing, trade and construction.
Along with several other key euro-zone countries, Italy remains mired in recession. The European Union reported last week that the Italian economy will shrink by 0.5 percent in 2013.
