Non-observed economy worth 12% of GDP

(ANSA) - Rome, October 15 - ISTAT said Tuesday that Italy's non-observed economy - activities that are underground, illegal or informal - was worth around 211 billion euros in 2017, 12.1% of GDP. The national statistics agency said around 19 billion euros of that were linked to illegal activities.
    It said the figures for 2017 continued a trend that has seen the non-observed segment of the economy shrinking in recent years after it peaked at 13% in 2014. ISTAT said, however, that the number of people working off the books in Italy in 2017 amounted to 3.7 million, some 25,000 more than in 2016.