Italy’s new PM will seek to reanimate the company’s plans to build a plat in Veneto.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday she would request a meeting with representatives of Intel to discuss a possible multibillion-euro investment by the U.S. chip maker in Italy.
“In the next few days I will try to schedule a meeting with company representatives, to try to understand what we can do to facilitate this investment”, Meloni said during a press conference.
4.5 billion euro investment hangs in limbo
Earlier this year. Intel announced it planned to build a chip factory in Italy as part of a wider plan to invest as much as 80 billion euros ($85.15 billion) over the next decade in building capacity across Europe. The deal as first discussed with the previous Draghi government proposed a 4.5 billion euro investment to build a plant in northern Italy, either in the Veneto region or in Piedmont. The agreement, which had once seemed only a small step away, has still not been finalized. One hanging point may be the question of state subsidies, which will most likely be what Meloni focuses on in her discussions.
A possible competitor has emerged
There may be another reason for the delay, however. It seems that, in the meantime, an alternative candidacy has emerged. According to Italy’s Verita e Affari, Poland may also be in the running for the new plant – and the 1,500 new jobs connected to the project.
“The new year will be decisive”, commented Luca Zaia, the governor of Veneto. “We hope so. But at this stage it is prudent not to make other statements”, he added.
Rumor has it that the Region, which has made 300 hectares of land available to Intel in Vigasio, in the lower Verona area, would have an advantage over Piedmont. Provided, of course, that the investment remains in Italy.
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