The Confapi Padova General Assembly “La locomotiva allo scambio” took place on May 8th at Villa Molin, in Padua, Italy. INSME’s President Sergio Arzeni participated in the event and contributed to the discussion through his intervention on the potential, the current obstacles, and the urgent needs of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
Against a backdrop of uncertain geopolitical circumstances, unpredictability is also affecting supply chains and the stability of the global economy. The Italian North-East production fabric, as several regional economic systems worldwide, is now being called upon to rethink its competitive positioning. INSME Member Confapi continues to work tirelessly in this direction, and the Confapi Padova event was organized with the aim of fostering debate on these issues by bringing together institutions, enterprises, and international experts. The General Assembly represented a key opportunity to analyze the current geopolitical scenario, as well as the challenges and opportunities it presents for Italian SMEs.
During the event, attended by more than 350 entrepreneurs, policy-makers, and economic stakeholders, Confapi President and INSME Vice President Cristian Camisa recalled the pivotal role played by SMEs in the country’s economic recovery following the Covid pandemic. Camisa consequently stressed the need for a national industrial policy that adequately takes into account the strengths and needs of SMEs. Confapi Padova President Marco Trevisan pointed to the extraordinary adaptation and transformation capabilities of Italian SMEs. At the same time, as he highlighted, these capabilities remain vulnerable to troublesome factors such as rising energy prices and shortages of raw materials.
INSME President Sergio Arzeni joined Camisa and Trevisan in recognizing the prominent role of SMEs within the Italian economic system, drawing attention to their valuable contribution to the outstanding performance of Italian exports. By virtue of their position, President Arzeni underlined, Italian SMEs must also lead the country’s productivity resurgence, especially considering their recognized ability to invest more efficiently in Research and Development (R&D) than most bigger businesses. Yet legal and financial barriers remain. In particular, smaller businesses face difficulties ranging from regulatory barriers and limited public support to inadequate financing schemes.
The discussions held during the Confapi Padova General Assembly reaffirmed the strategic importance of strengthening SMEs in order to enhance competitiveness, innovation, and sustainable economic growth both in Italy and internationally.
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