[ad_1]
The file, for a long time, was covered up. Now the project of theAutonomy differentiated requested by the Northern Regions, it is once again on the government’s agenda and in October, after the regional elections, it could be presented in the Cortes. Despite attempts to correct what had been termed “the secession of the rich”, the risk persists that the regions with the greatest resources will outpace those already in trouble today, namely the Southern Regions. .
Autonomy, the new sack of Rome: funds for Northern companies too
Loosen ties with Rome. Separate as much as possible from the cables that connect the northern regions that have asked for a “differentiated” autonomy with the capital. Withdraw the administrative center of the country from one of the many centers of a confederal state where power resides in the regions themselves. Better if it is rich.
The Minister for Regional Affairs, Francesco Boccia, has drawn up a new draft framework law within which the agreements with Veneto, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna should move. In the latest version of the text, we return to talk about the financing of the functions to be transferred of “participation in tax revenue earned in the regional territory.” What does that mean? That the State would sell a piece of VAT or Irpef to pay the cost of the functions transferred from the central State to the Region. The cost of the functions, this time, would be established through the standard requirements mechanism and no longer based on historical cost, as predicted by the agreements of the yellow-green era. But the truth is that if year after year the cost of the service remains unchanged and tax collection increases, that surplus would remain in the coffers of the Region and no longer go to those of the central state.
State, ten years of cuts: a wound for the South
THE PASSAGE
That the point is extremely delicate is also shown by the “safeguard clause” included in the draft framework law. Basically, this clause says that if things go badly for the State on the public accounts front, then the Regions that have obtained autonomy can be asked to participate in the reorganization.
A principle of equity that should not even be questioned and that, instead, is entrusted to a provision of primary rank and provided that the same measures are imposed simultaneously in all other regions with ordinary status.
However, Rome is once again absent from the government’s proposal, once again forgotten. Regional autonomy occurs by “subtracting” resources from the capital, without the government, once again, worrying about the fate of the city. The decentralization of administrative functions, now carried out by the Roman ministries, will inevitably have an impact, on which there is no reflection or discussion in the government at this time. The other topic that was debated a lot was the role of Parliament in modifying the agreements between the government and the Regions. In the previous attempt of the greenish yellow government, the agreements had been sealed, the Parliament could have approved or rejected the agreements but without being able to modify them.
In reality, things change little even with the new framework law. Parliament may decide on the preliminary agreements between the government and the Regions. You will have 60 days to make observations that may or may not be recognized. After this period, the Government and the Regions may sign the agreements that, at that time, may be approved or rejected by Parliament.
However, some steps forward have been taken compared to the past. The main one concerns the fact that functions cannot be transferred until the Leps, the essential levels of performance, are ready. In short, kindergartens, transportation, dining rooms should have a similar level throughout the national territory. It’s a decisive step forward compared to the old approach where Lep was not talked about at all. The three articles of the project, then, also foresee the creation of an infrastructure compensation fund. By June 30, 2021, a study of the infrastructure deficit in the southern regions should be carried out. Then, within six months, projects must be presented to cover this deficit, which will be financed with the allocation of a percentage (not yet indicated in the draft framework law) of state resources for infrastructure. It is obvious that the value of this rule (which could be transferred directly to the budget law) will depend on that percentage. Which must exceed the minimum wage of 34%.
The process
Silence-assent
in parliament
For many months, during the yellow-green government, Conte Uno, they discussed what the role of Parliament should be in the agreements reached between the State and the Regions. The Regions asked that they be “unmistakable”, once agreed with the State, Parliament should not have said anything. The solution found in the framework law proposed by the government takes a step forward, but runs the risk of being formal. The preliminary agreements would be sent to Parliament, in which the Houses would have 60 days to make “observations” (not amendments). After 60 days, the government and the Regions can still proceed with the signing of the agreements.
The conditions
Performance levels
set before agreements
One of the substantial advances compared to the previous attempt made when the League’s minister, Erika Stefani, headed the Ministry of Regional Affairs, has to do with the issue of Leps, essential levels of performance. In the draft agreements that had been prepared by Veneto, Lombardy and Emilia Romagna, no reference was made to essential levels. Now, however, it is established that the functions cannot be transferred to the Regions that request them, if essential levels of services valid throughout the national territory are not established first. However, the doubt persists that setting essential levels of services without saying how to finance the gaps that must be bridged leaves room for a differentiation between services in the Regions.
The verification
Review of agreements
in the first ten years
Later, a review mechanism was introduced for the agreements between the State and the Regions. In particular, it is established that the State and the Region submit the agreement to be verified at least within the term of the tenth year from the entry into force of the law for the attribution of new forms and special conditions of autonomy or within the term shorter than the Agreement itself establishes. , which also establishes the review procedures and in any case whenever the essential performance levels are modified or updated. However, the fundamental step is missing, the mechanism with which to modify the signed agreements. This mechanism is delegated to them
understood and, therefore, it will not be possible to know it
until they show up.
Investments
Those resources
always promises
In the government project, article 3 is indicated with an asterisk and the words: inclusion in the budget law to be evaluated. The reason is simple. Article 3 speaks of an infrastructural equalization fund to fill the deficit between the northern and southern regions, but inserting it into a framework law without resources would only be a promise. As in fact it has been until today. Law 42 itself provides for the equalization of infrastructure, but it has never been applied. Indeed, over the years in the South, 34% of ordinary resources were not even guaranteed for investments to which they would have been entitled based on the resident population criterion. In short, as long as there are no black and white resources, it is legitimate to doubt
Last update: September 9 at 00:07
© REPRODUCTION RESERVED
[ad_2]
