Italy: Civil society wins a big victory

Much controversy has surrounded the Italian ?5 per mille? over the past few months. But following a meeting held in Rome on the 10th October between 100 Italian civil society leaders and numerous politicians, the government has taken back its decision to place a roof on the quantity of money that can be devolved to the 5 per mille and has promised to integrate the 5 thousandths law into next years financial legislation.

The 5 per mille, in English 5 per thousand, refers to the five thousandths that, following a 2005 law, taxpayers can choose to give to the non profit sector (including NGOs, universities and scientific research) when filling out their income tax forms. In 2006 a surprising 16 million Italians, 60% of taxpayers, opted to give their 5 thousandths away raising a total of approximately 400 million euros. This year predictions say that the percentage will rise to 70%, but this year the government had changed the rules of the game. The financial law for 2007, approved by Prodi?s left wing government in December 2006, imposed a roof on the total amount that could be collected by the 5 thousandths law, so that no more than 250 million euros would actually be allocated to the third sector no matter what sum was actually raised through taxpayers donations.

Italian civil society has been up in arms about the government?s obvious refusal to admit the will of the people ? after all the figures speak clear, 60% of taxpayers want to support the third sector. Italian third sector magazine VITA Non Profit and its partner organisations, together with many other Italian third sector actors, have been campaigning to ?raise the roof? as their slogan says. Finally their calls have been met by the government. The roof has been raised to 400 million euros, 150 million more than what had been decided in 2006. But still, campaigners say that the government must not only put its commitment into writing, but also ensure that the 5 per mille becomes an integrated part of the yearly financial laws.

The meeting in Rome was organised by VITA?s editorial director, Riccardo Bonacina, to ask the government why the draft of the 2008 financial law made no mention of the 5 per mille. ?It is clear that we must amend the financial law to make up for this purely technical error? answered Ferrero during the meeting ?there was no political will behind the omission, and no one intended to cancel the 5 per mille?.

Campaigners sighed a breath of relief, when asked to comment, Bonacina said that he was ?reassured? by Ferrero?s words but called on campaigners to not stop working to make sure that the 5 per mille continues to exist and to definitely remove the roof imposed by the government.