Confcommercio, Sangalli: ‘We risk ghost towns, let’s move forward with urban regeneration’

Rome, 15 Nov. (LaPresse) – “The desertification of shops is an economic, social and cohesion problem: every shutter that comes down means less security, fewer services, less attractiveness and less social life in our cities. And without effective and timely urban regeneration measures, by 2035 we risk having real ghost towns.‘ This is according to Confcommercio president Carlo Sangalli, commenting on the analysis released today by the Confederation on commercial desertification in cities. ’To avert this prospect, we need national policies and strategies shared between institutions, businesses and local areas that are capable of combining competitiveness, sustainability and quality of life. Above all, it is necessary to support local commerce with fairer tax policies, easier and less expensive access to credit, and specific measures to address the economic transition,‘ he insists. ’It is also essential to redevelop the more than 100,000 vacant shops, an issue on which we hope to collaborate with the relevant counterparts and local authorities.”