0870 111 2158
Threat to reverse reforms to labour markets
Comments from Italian commercial law firm
Comments from Gabriele Giambrone, Managing Partner, of Italian law firm Giambrone Law: “The concern is that a Bersani led government would be a real threat to the deregulation of the Italian economy.”
“It is clear that red-tape and inflexible labour laws have been one of the main reasons why the Italian economy has been so poor at attracting inwards investment and generated such weak economic growth over the past decade.”
“Although the reform process under the Monti government was slow, it was progress all the same. A Bersani government would not only mean a dragging of heels in terms of reforms but an actual reversal of key employment reforms that have been achieved.”
Gabriele Giambrone gives the example of reforms to “Article 18” that Bersani has strongly hinted that he would scrap.
Explains Gabriele Giambrone: “Reforms to Article 18 allowed employers to more easily make redundancies for economic reasons. That is a fairly basic right for employers in most countries but now that is under threat in Italy.”
“Scrapping those reforms to Article 18 would be a huge step backwards.”
Threat to deregulation of law firms
Gabriele Giambrone also says that there will be worries that the legal sector, also much in need of reform, will not see progress under Bersani.
Reformers had hopes that reforms to the corporate structure of law firms would allow more consolidation of law firms and easier entry of foreign law firms to the Italian market – both of which would encourage Italian law firm to offer a more cost effective and customer-focused service.
Adds Gabriele Giambrone: “A more left-leaning, or populist government, is likely to see the hobbling of dozens of such business and economic reforms.”
Milan, Rome and Palermo and associate lawyers are based in Spain, France, Belgium, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Israel, China, Australia, Chile and Brazil.
