In a joint press release, ANACAM, ANIE AssoAscensori, CUNA – Coordinamento Unitario Nazionale Ascensoristi (CNA Installazione Impianti and Confartigianato Impianti) and FIABA Onlus expressed their disappointment at the Italian ‘Save Accounts’ decree published in the Official Gazette on 29 March, which unexpectedly ‘abolished’ the assignment of credit and invoice discounts, the only tools that (the communiqué reads) would have enabled the population to make efficient and effective use of the ‘Architectural Barriers’ bonus and provide for the renovation of a large part of the old buildings in the area, improving accessibility through the installation or modernisation of lift systems.

In March 2023, in the face of the Italian government’s decision to extend the use of credit transfer and invoice discount instruments, the Associations had already emphasised the importance, also social, and sustainability of the initiative for the removal of architectural barriers. The same Associations believe, in fact, that interventions related to the improvement of accessibility and the removal of architectural barriers, quantified at about 250 million euro/year, with a tax credit generated of less than 200 million euro, can be feasible if supported by these ‘tools’, which are absolutely essential in view of the important social value of widespread accessibility. Today the new measure, since the ‘modernisation’ interventions are mainly aimed at condominiums, makes this opportunity utopian: the risk that less affluent families cannot take advantage of the ‘architectural barriers’ bonus becomes not a probability, but an (almost absolute) certainty. This, according to the associations, means preventing thousands of Italian citizens from having easy access to buildings, which is currently precluded by the lack of elevator systems especially in old buildings.

According to the Associations of the sector and FIABA it would be a missed opportunity, in the year of the G7 dedicated to accessibility to be held in Italy (specifically in Umbria) from 14 to 16 October, not to be able to present solid support for the accessibility measure confirmed until 2025. Support that is geared to improving the quality of life for at least some of the 3.5 million citizens, i.e. 7.2% of the population over the age of 15, especially the most fragile, those with motor disabilities and/or the elderly.

The Associations, unanimously, and FIABA therefore ask the government to reconsider the measure and continue to allow credit transfer and invoice discount for architectural barrier removal work, a measure with a very high social impact.

The Associations that signed the press release:

ANIE AssoAscensori brings together companies that design, build systems and components, install, repair and maintain lifts, goods lifts, escalators and moving walks, stairlifts and elevating platforms. With about 5,000 employees, the member companies cover more than 50% of the market for new installations and about 40% of the services market in Italy.

ANACAM – Associazione Nazionale Imprese di Costruzione e Manutenzione Ascensori (National Association of Lifts Construction and Maintenance Companies) represents about 500 industrial and artisan companies operating in the lift systems sector (lifts, goods lifts, escalators and moving walkways, etc.). The Association, established in 1971, includes all the components of the sector: manufacturers, installers, maintenance engineers, designers and suppliers of specialised services to companies.

CUNA – Coordinamento Unitario Nazionale Ascensoristi brings together and represents more than 1,500 artisan and small-sized enterprises associated, throughout Italy, with Confartigianato Impianti and CNA Installazione Impianti, which are involved in the installation, maintenance and repair of lifts, lifts and goods lifts.

FIABA ETS (formerly ONLUS), is a Third Sector organisation established in 2000 to raise awareness among institutions and citizens on the importance of breaking down architectural and cultural barriers. Its goal is to create the conditions so that in the future all people can move everywhere freely and independently. FIABA was the proposer of the 75% bonus in the Budget Law 2022.