The future of Abruzzo in a more connected Europe

In order to grow and attract investment, a territory needs infrastructure. This is true even for Abruzzo, for which the inclusion in a modern transport network and new strategic hubs, can allow it to promote the development of local businesses and its products in Italy and abroad. The importance of investment for the development of a specifical geographical area is clear. A look from above on our peninsula, confirms that the most economically developed areas are those less isolated and those that, for historical, cultural or political reasons, over time have opened to trade.

In this perspective, the strengthening of infrastructure on the Adriatic side and in the Abruzzo region is essential for the revival not only of the local economy but also for the national one. In this sense, the business turnover that would be created would not only enhance the territories and open up new channels of communication, but would also lead to an increase in national GDP. This is true, even considering the strategic position of Abruzzo, which could be enhanced as a basis for the revival of a new transversal policy aimed towards the Adriatic Sea in favor of the opening of new relations with the Balkan and Eastern area.

The political will of the implementation of the railway line “Rome – Pescara” expresses the necessity to develop a territory, having great potentialities, not still completely expressed for the lack of fast and economic channels of communication. In this context, the 620 million euro investment, even if not sufficient for the whole reinforcement of the trainline (which would require an estimated expenditure of about seven billion), represents a good signal, destined by the Italian Recovery and Resilience Plan the intense activities of the renovation of the following railway lines: Tagliacozzo- Avezzano, Sulmona - Pratola Peligna, Scafa - Manoppello, Manoppello - Interporto of Chieti.

Meanwhile, in this boost of infrastructural renewal in order to give new energy to less connected areas, the implementation of the "European Strategy for the connectivity", whose conclusions were approved on 12 July by the Council of the European Union, has great importance. It is a strategy that promotes competitiveness, intended as link between enterprises and digitalization. In the latter area, the activation of ultra-broadband Internet connectivity services at the schools in Abruzzo is proceeding at a good pace.

The innovation of physical and digital infrastructures, in a perspective of sustainability, is therefore the key to competitiveness. It is well taught by China, which, in order to implement its economic growth, launched in 2013 the "Belt and Road Initiative", whose 2 thousand billion euros have been already invested in the project for connectivity of 138 countries in the field of energy, transport, buildings and metals. Initiative, among other things, well received from Italy, that represents the first Country of the European Union to have signed with China a memorandum of understanding, accompanied from a series of commercial agreements for the implementation of the two main Italian ports, Genoa and Trieste.

Strategies of countries such as China teach us how important the investment is to invest in the connectivity of territories. Therefore, in order to achieve a relaunch of exports and new partnerships with companies, Italian and foreign, which produce complementary products, the entrepreneurs of Abruzzo shall encourage our political representatives at local, regional and national level to invest in infrastructure for the growth of our region. Only in this way growth can be sustained and generate new opportunities, new jobs and attract tourists in a region for the achievement in the next future of a new role in the global economy.