Tax credit 2024 Single Southern SEZ of 60% costs
Important news for 2024 regarding the tax credit for SEZs, the special economic zones, for which 1.8 billion has been earmarked from January 2024.
Italy's single SEZ will replace the existing 8. The credit is reserved for investments in the purchase or leasing of capital goods for production facilities that already exist or are to be built, and for the purchase and leasing of land and buildings.
DL Sud established a tax credit in favour of companies that make initial investments in capital goods for production facilities located in the assisted areas of the regions of Campania, Puglia, Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, Sardinia and Molise (areas 107(3)(a), TFEU) and in the assisted areas of the region of Abruzzo (areas 107(3)(c), TFEU), as identified by the 2022-2027 Regional Aid Map.
Eligible investments are investments, contained in an initial investment project, relating to the purchase or leasing of new machinery, plant and various equipment intended for already existing production facilities or which are being set up in the territory, as well as the purchase of land and the acquisition, construction and extension of buildings instrumental to the investments.
The credit will be commensurate with the portion of the total cost of the assets purchased or, in the case of real estate investments, realised between 1 January 2024 and 15 November 2024, subject to a maximum limit of EUR 100 million for each investment project. However, investment projects of less than EUR 200,000 are not eligible.
The tax credit is granted to the maximum extent allowed by the Regional Aid Map 2022-2027, i.e:
- for Campania, Apulia, Calabria and Sicily 40 per cent for large enterprises, 50 per cent for medium-sized enterprises and 60 per cent for small enterprises;
- for Molise, Basilicata and Sardinia 30 per cent for large enterprises, 40 per cent for medium-sized enterprises and 50 per cent for small enterprises;
- for the eligible areas of Abruzzo 15 per cent for large enterprises, 25 per cent for medium-sized enterprises and 35 per cent for small enterprises.
This credit will therefore replace the Mezzogiorno tax credit and the ZES tax credit expiring on 31 December 2023.
The new facilitation, introduced by DL Sud, contains differences compared to the previous provisions.
First of all, the subjective scope is affected by the amendments made to Regulation (EU) No 651/2014 last July, excluding the steel, coal and lignite industry, transport and related infrastructure, energy production, storage, transmission and distribution and energy infrastructure, broadband, as well as the credit, financial and insurance sectors from the relief.
As mentioned above, the time horizon for making investments is limited to 15 November 2024.
An inter-ministerial decree is expected to be issued in the next few days, defining the procedures for accessing the benefit, as well as the criteria and procedures for applying and using the tax credit and the related controls.
