Italy has the most creative
economy in the EU, European Commission Vice President Jyrki
Katainen said in an interview with ANSA Wednesday.
He said "this is a solid base, but the country is less rich
than it could be".
Katainen welcomed recent structural reforms but said Italy
was still suffering from a growth gap with other EU countries.
"May efforts continue to tackle this problem, which is
structural, he said.
Katainen said it would take "6-8 years" for the effects of
reforms to be felt.
"We can't be pleased until growth is within the EU average or
higher," he said.
Katainen also said that Italy had been "very good" at using
the EFSI investment plan, which should result in up to 400,000
new jobs.
This would happen, he said, it 205,931 small and medium-sized
firms take on new staff, using the funds from the plan.
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