With 159 votes in favor and one
against, the Senate on Friday approved a package of measures
designed to stimulate the economy in an effort to pull Italy out
of what is its longest postwar recession.
The so-called competitiveness bill includes 10% cuts in
utilities bills for small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), and the
extension of a bridge loan to the controversial ILVA steel plant
in the Puglia port city of Taranto.
Two Senate committees on Thursday recommended the
appointment of a sub-commissioner to oversee the environmental
clean-up of its operations after the judiciary ordered the
closure of Europe's largest steelworks because of unusually high
cancer rates in and around Taranto.
As well, the bill would reduce the penalty for sowing
genetically modified seeds, from up to three years in prison and
10-30,000 euros in fines to fines of 25-50,000 euros with no
jail term.
"The recovery is still weak and we know we must stimulate
it," deputy industry minister, Claudio De Vincenti, told MPs.
"This bill is in line with the government's strategy to
restore the hopes of families and give younger generations a
future".
The center-right Forza Italia (FI) party of Silvio
Berlusconi, the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement, and the
anti-immigrant, separatist Northern League abstained from the
vote.
The bill now goes to the Lower House.
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