It’s a Yes to the refinancing of the New Sabatini in the 2022 Budget Law. The Italian government conformed this in the press release published at the end of the Council of Ministers for the approval of the law:
“The 4.0 transition measures and those relating to incentives for private real estate investments are extended and reformulated. The SME Guarantee Fund, the so-called ‘Nuova Sabatini’ and the measures for the internationalization of businesses are refinanced.”
The maneuver amounts to a total of about € 30 billion, of which € 8 billion for the internationalization of companies and € 900 million to refinance the Nuova Sabatini in the period 2022-2026.
Budget Law 2022, Nuova Sabatini refinanced until 2026
The Nuova Sabatini provides for a fund of € 180 million per year until 2026. The goal is to accelerate the digital transition of Italian small and medium-sized enterprises. Specifically, the measure aims to support investments for the purchase or leasing of machinery, plants, equipment, capital goods for productive use, hardware devices and, of course, software and digital technologies.
The confirmation of the refinancing comes a few days after the announcement by the Ministry of Economic Development regarding € 300 million provided by the state budget adjustment law for the financial year 2021.
As part of the national transition process 4.0, the Industry Transition Support Fund was also established. This is 150 million euros available starting from 2022 to facilitate companies in investing in energy efficiency, circular economy and more advanced CO2 capture and storage solutions.
New Sabatini and tax credit for investments 4.0
Tax credit for tangible assets 4.0
The 2022 Budget Bill intervenes on the tax credit for the purchase of capital goods 4.0, recognized to the extent of:
- 20% of the cost, for the portion of investments up to 2.5 million euros;
- 10% of the cost, for the portion of investments exceeding € 2.5 million and up to € 10 million;
- 5% of the cost, for the share of investments exceeding 10 million euros and up to the maximum limit of total eligible costs of 20 million euros.
This relates to investments made from January 1, 2023 to June 30, 2026, provided that by December 31, 2025 the relevant order is accepted by the seller and advance payments of at least 20% of the acquisition cost have been made.
Tax credit for intangible assets 4.0
As for investments in intangible capital goods 4.0, the tax credit is recognized at 20% of the cost, within the maximum annual limit of eligible costs of 1 million euros.
Investments must be made from November 16, 2020 to June 30, 2024, provided that by December 31, 2023 the relevant order is accepted by the seller and advance payments of at least 20% of the acquisition cost have been made.
Nuova Sabatini: to whom it is aimed
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can benefit from the subsidy if at the date of submission of the application:
- they are duly constituted and registered in the Business Register or the Fishing Business Register
- are fully and freely exercising their rights, are not in voluntary liquidation or subject to bankruptcy proceedings
- the aids considered illegal or incompatible by the European Commission are not included among the subjects who have received and, subsequently, not reimbursed or deposited in a blocked account
- they are not in conditions such as to be companies in difficulty
- are resident in a foreign country if they open an operational office in Italy within the deadline for completing the investment