Italy up to challenge says Gentiloni on Recovery Fund

(ANSA) - ROME, SEP 1 - The European Commission is confident that Italy will be up to the challenge posed by the COVID emergency and will make the best use of the EU's Recovery Fund, Commissioner for Economic Affairs Paolo Gentiloni said Tuesday in addressing the House on the priorities the government must indicate to tap into the fund.
    He said we are in a phase of relaunching the economy but a general "climate of uncertainty" reigns, also in Italy.
    "We are confident that the country will be up to the challenges", said Gentiloni.
    The Commission, he said, asks the Italian government, in compiling its reform programme, "to indicate its choices within the framework of priorities".
    It should not just issue a spending list, Gentiloni said.
    Italy has a one-off chance to restart by getting the largest chunk of the 750 billion fund, he said.
    "Let us not think we can use the 200 billion to cut taxes, it would really be the wrong message," he said. (ANSA).