Germany and Italy must advance digitisation

“Germany and Italy must lead the way in digitisation.” Those were the words of the President of the Federation of German Industries (BDI) Ulrich Grillo on Wednesday, speaking at the German-Italian intergovernmental consultations in Maranello. In his address, Grillo called on both countries to invest more in their digital infrastructures.  

“We are heading in the right direction, but implementation is still too slow,” said Grillo. “For the shift to Industry 4.0, businesses require a world-class digital infrastructure – from broadband to legislation.” Now it is up to the two countries to boost the market for venture capital and adapt the supporting mechanisms appropriately.  

The BDI President pointed out that the Italian government has set a number of reforms in motion that should help inject new momentum into the country’s economy. “The zero growth witnessed in the second quarter shows that Italy needs to firmly push ahead with its reform process. Investment in education and digital infrastructure is crucial to increase Italian industry’s opportunities for long-term growth.”