Govt approves DEF, sees 1% growth this year

(ANSA) - ROME, APR 9 - Premier Giorgia Meloni's cabinet on Tuesday approved the government's DEF economic blueprint, sources said.
    The document sees Italy's GDP growing by 1% this year, down from 1.2% in the NADEF blueprint it adopted in the second half of 2023.
    Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti had said this year's DEF will be "streamlined" with fewer details about the executive's future economic plans than in previous years.
    On Monday Giorgetti ruled out a supplementary budget despite the heavy burden left on the public finances by the Superbonus green building renovation scheme. The programme, introduced by a previous government led by 5-Star Movement (M5S) leader Giuseppe Conte in 2020, covered 110% of the cost of certain energy-efficiency building renovations.
    The scheme has been significantly curtailed by the current government but the cost keeps growing.
    As of 31 March, the total burden borne by the state for the Superbonus exceeds 122 billion euro, according to the latest monthly data. The cabinet is also set to examine a decree simplifying the rules for taxes on inheritances. (ANSA).