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Database of national-level policy measures

Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure IT-2020-14/531 Updated – measures in Italy

Urgent measures of food solidarity

Misure urgenti di solidarietà alimentare

Country Italy , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 30 March 2020 – 31 December 2020
Context COVID-19
Type Other initiatives or policies
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Provision of services in kind (e.g. food vouchers)
Author Lisa Dorigatti (University of Milan) and Eurofound
Measure added 13 April 2020 (updated 19 June 2023)

Background information

The order of the Head of the Civil Protection Department No. 658 of the 29 March 2020 approved the allocation of €400 million to municipalities. This funding is intended to cover urgent measures of food security by directly providing food products and food vouchers to citizens in need. This measure was enacted as a response to the economic crisis resulting from of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Content of measure

The measure is intended to support people and families in financial distress due to the economic consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. More specifically, the measure works to ensure that people have secure access to food and basic goods. The fund provides municipalities with the financial resources necessary for them to supply food and staple products to people in need. The measure is implemented by providing municipalities with the resources to distribute direct provisions and vouchers to citizens. Individual municipalities determine the eligibility criteria for beneficiaries. The local government is responsible for defining the specific methods of distribution for their own municipality.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

06 September 2021

The measure does not have a specific end date, but is is based on a limited amount of funds and it is no longer been refinanced.

Use of measure

No information available.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Other groups of citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
Local / regional government
National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • Unknown
  • Main level of involvement: Unknown

Involvement

Social partners were not involved in the decision making process.

Views and reactions

Unknown.

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Urgent measures of food solidarity, measure IT-2020-14/531 (measures in Italy), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IT-2020-14_531.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.