One hundred proposals and investments for over 250 million euros: the race for Sardinia’s Zes has started. And for the 8 ports that are part of the Zes network, as it is structured on the island, new opportunities are opening up. «Since its inception, the ZES has aroused considerable interest from entrepreneurs also by virtue of the carrying out of planning activities and meetings both at a regional and national level – explains Commissioner Aldo Cadau -. The future investment projects illustrated by the companies highlight a positive trend in the Zes area as a destination for potential economic initiatives which, to date, exceed 250 million euros, above all in the industrial and manufacturing sector as well as plant engineering, logistics, boating and the management of environmental services”.
Issued the first Single Authorizations
The Strategic Development Plan envisages and assigns a total area of 2,659.08 hectares to the SEZ of Sardinia. «Although it is very recently established, i.e. on 4 August 2022, – adds the commissioner – today the Special Economic Zone is fully operational, and is already starting discussions with the Industrial Consortia falling within it for a revision of the perimeter relating to the its area”. Currently, 3 Service Conferences have been called through the one-stop shop and 2 Single Authorizations have already been issued, while the third Single Authorization is being issued. Then there is the funding aspect. «Today the Zes presented various proposals for the request for funding – adds Cadau -. I speak of the interventions relating to the integrated water system of the Institutional Development Contract, “Acqua Bene Comune”, amounting to a total of 87,215,077.18 euros and, in addition, admission to the Fund for the feasibility planning of infrastructures and priority settlements for the development of the country, as well as for the project review of the already financed infrastructures, for the realization of projects and works totaling 94,000,000.00 euros”. In addition, a technical table has also been set up with the Regional Programming Center of the Sardinia Region so that the ZES can benefit from the 2021-2027 ERDF, ESF and the Development and Cohesion Fund. As for distribution, it is estimated that over 40 percent of these initiatives are located in the area of the Provincial Industrial Consortium of Cagliari, 20 percent in that of Sassari and 15 percent in Olbia and Oristano. Furthermore, Zes has activated agreements with Unicredit, Banco di Sardegna and Intesa Sanpaolo “with the aim of accompanying companies in the implementation of their investment programs, identifying the most appropriate financial instruments and facilitating investments in innovation of innovative companies and start-ups up”.