国际英语资讯:Italys cabinet passes new 25-bln-euro stimulus package for COVID-19 recovery_时事

国际英语资讯:Italys cabinet passes new 25-bln-euro stimulus package for COVID-19 recovery

ROME, Aug. 7 -- Italy's cabinet on Friday gave green light to a new decree containing new supportive measures worth 25 billion euros (29.4 billion U.S. dollars) to address the COVID-19 emergency and encourage economic recovery.

The decision on the extra spending had been taken by Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte's cabinet in a previous meeting on July 23 and authorized by parliament on July 29.

The fresh resources represented the third economic provision aimed at supporting the economy, which has been severely hit by the lockdown measures imposed to curb the coronavirus.

A first 25-billion-euro decree had been passed in March, and a second worth 55 billion euros in May.

国际英语资讯:Italys cabinet passes new 25-bln-euro stimulus package for COVID-19 recovery1

"The decree aims at supporting workers, businesses, and local institutions overall," Conte told a press conference after the meeting.

"The latest data by ISTAT (the National Institute of Statistics) showed consumption has partially resumed in June already, and this was possible also thanks to the previous measures delivered," he explained.

NEW STIMULUS

The new stimulus measures contained in the 103-article decree include an 18-week extension of public funding for workers put in temporary redundancy schemes. Companies accessing the schemes, however, will have to put on hold any cut to their workforce in the same period.

In addition, employers calling back workers, who were put on redundancy in the previous months due to the COVID-19 crisis, will be allowed a 100 percent cut of social contribution payments for four months.