Next Generation EU e PNRR: «nuova» Europa, «vecchia» Italia

The Next Generation EU, in making available large amounts of aid to the states most severely affected by the crisis, marks a step change, as important as it is fragile, from the Europe of austerity in favor of a more supportive Europe that fights against internal weaknesses, social and structural inequalities to enable overall and more balanced growth. On the other hand, the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan, for several reasons that are analyzed in this essay, does not mark any substantial, real, effective breakthrough in the territorial rebalancing policies needed to limit the social, economic, and infrastructural gaps progressively determined in the most disadvantaged areas of Italy, starting with the South.