Italy also wants its share of the pie in Intel’s investments in Europe. While Germany is to host a 17 billion euro mega-factory, the construction of which has been delayed, La Botte also hopes to host a site for the American foundryman.
When Pat Gelsinger’s company announced in March its intention to invest up to 80 billion euros in the European Union over the next decade, it was thus a question of spending in Italy up to 4.5 billion euros to build a site dedicated to the encapsulation of electronic chips, with commissioning scheduled between 2025 and 2027. However, the formalization of this project is still awaited.
Giorgia Meloni wants to speak with Intel representatives
Last August, Reuters revealed that the resigning government of Mario Draghi was about to finalize a 4.9 billion euro agreement for the construction of this factory. In the end, this was not the case, Italian political life having been further disrupted by the parliamentary elections last September, which resulted in the victory of the extreme right.
However, Giorgia Meloni, big winner of these elections who became the first woman president of the Italian Council, has not forgotten the file. This Thursday, December 29, during her year-end press conference, she said she intended to request an interview with Intel representatives to discuss this project. “In the next few days I will be looking to schedule a meeting, to ask Intel what we can do to facilitate their investment in Italy, which I think is highly strategic”, said Giorgia Meloni, whose remarks are reported by Reuters. While the American founder is calling for more public subsidies to build its mega-factory in Germany, the Italian Prime Minister now knows that she must bet on financial arguments to secure Intel’s investment in her country.