The Calabria Region launches the «Safe» programfinanced with Por 2014-2020 resources for a total 60 million, to support small and medium-sized businesses to mitigate the effects of high energy prices. The «Safe» program, with the related notice and the participation methods for businesses, was presented today in a press conference at the regional headquarters in Catanzaro by Rosario Variregional councilor for economic development, Paolo Praticò, general director of economic development of the Calabria region, and Alessandro Zanfino, president of Fincalabra, which is the implementing body.
«The Safe program – said Varì – represents concrete help to Calabrian companies, which will thus be fully compensated for the higher cost incurred for energy consumption in the period 2022-23 compared to 2021-22. The regional government, in continuity with other measures already taken, intended to take advantage of a community regulation approved a few months ago and intended to implement this measure immediately. Now it will be up to companies to upload the applications on the Fincalabra website from 11 to 21 September and send them on September 22nd. The resources will have to be distributed to businesses by the end of this year, which is why we did things very quickly. There is talk – continued the regional councilor – of 60 million euros being made available to businesses: the eligible costs are 100%, therefore the entire sum requested will be paid up to a maximum of 2 million for business. The procedure is simple and fast and the companies already know it because there has been an expression of interest in which they have already taken part.” Varì then recalled that the Region «notified the procedure to the European Commission, taking advantage of the extraordinary opportunity offered by that regulation. It took a few months to set up the procedure but we spent as little time as possible. We believe that reducing energy costs means increasing the competitiveness of our businesses.”