L'innovazione digitale nelle Zone Economiche Speciali: Guida alla trasformazione economica

Digital Innovation in Special Economic Zones: A Guide to Economic Transformation Abstract: The special economic zones (SEZs) are an example of territorial cohesion policy, which aims to reduce economic and social disparities between the different areas of the country and to promote sustainable and inclusive development1. The SEZs fit into the framework of territorial cohesion policies through various aspects, including: • enhancement of the specificities and potential of the southern regions, in particular of the port and logistics areas, which can become strategic hubs in the Mediterranean; • the creation of favorable conditions for the attraction of investments and the competitiveness of local businesses, through tax breaks and administrative simplifications; • the implementation of infrastructural interventions to improve connections and mobility between the ZES and the rest of the national and European territory; • the promotion of the ecological transition and technological innovation in the ZES, in line with the objectives of the European Green Deal and the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR); • the strengthening of multilevel governance and collaboration between the public and private actors involved in the SEZs, with the coordination role of the Commissioners. The SEZs are therefore a tool to promote convergence and cohesion between the southern regions and the rest of the country, as well as to contribute to the objectives of economic, social and territorial cohesion of the European Union.