“Dear minister, it is time to get busy. Indeed, if the government does not know where to start, we will suggest some ideas ”. This is how we can summarize the appeal launched by the professional and entrepreneurial categories of the jewelry world during Voice – Vicenzaoro International Community Event, the Italian Exhibition Group event inaugurated at the Vicenza Fair (370 companies present). The requests are addressed (in the foreseen digital link) to Luigi Di Maio, Minister of Foreign Affairs and exponent of the 5Stelle movement by Cna Orafi Nazionale, Confartigianato Orafi, Confimi Industria Goldsmith and Argentiera Category, Confindustria Federorafi, Federpreziosi Confcommercio, Assocoral.
Free trade
The premise: in the goldsmith sector, as explained by associations, duties and non-tariff barriers prevent the direct marketing of Italian products to areas that represent over 60% of world consumption. Notwithstanding, therefore, the need to strongly relaunch the initiatives at EU level for trade policies aimed at the regulated liberalization of world trade through free trade agreements, the sector considers it important that, in the context of the Pact for Export, some specificities. Here are the initiatives needed for jewelers.
• The ratification of Italy’s accession to the so-called Vienna Convention on Precious Metals to facilitate the international trade in objects in precious metals while ensuring adequate consumer protection. The delay in the parliamentary approval process does not allow our companies to use the facilities provided within countries that represent 30% of our exports.
• The strengthening of the preventive and ex-post intervention capacities by the anti-counterfeiting help desks on some strategic markets (USA, Turkey, China, UAE, Russia …) and the activation of help desks for an initial support of companies in disputes with foreign operators.
• The strengthening of agreements with large-scale distribution (in the US and Japan, but not only) which represented, in the pre-Covid phase, a success factor in sectoral incremental business policies.
• The activation through agreements with individual countries, of fast-lines or fast-tracks to allow, in compliance with certain bilateral health protocols, the reduction of the restrictions provided for entry into certain countries. This is to promote the arrival of foreign operators in Italy and facilitate, also through our diplomatic offices, the presence of Italian operators in strategic countries for our exports
• Enhancement of actions to support trade fairs in the sector as well as, again in the B2B area, the facilitation of access for small and medium-sized enterprises to the Maeci / Ice Fiera Smart 365 program as well as promotion and support for less smart companies in the fruition of the agreements started with the main international e-commerce platforms.
• The need to accompany the transversal communication of the Italian brand being set up by Maeci, with a sectoral campaign to have a more surgical impact on international trade.
Sustainability and origin of raw materials
The precious sector is one of the most advanced sectors in the field of circular economy and in the recovery and reuse of objects and used metals / materials. Not only that: for over 20 years in the sector policies have been adopted for the traceability of the no-conflict origin of diamonds with the certification of the origin of diamonds (the Kimberley Process) and with the adoption of international regulations also for the origin of precious metals.
Furthermore, from January 2021, the European regulation for due diligence will come into force with the aim of guaranteeing the conflict-free origin of gold. Regarding this, jewelers consider it important to underline some requests.
• Italy strives to extend traceability measures to other competitive global areas (China and India) and to harmonize the parts governed by individual member states (sanctions, thresholds, controls …) at a European level.
• We strongly support Italy’s candidacy as a country of reference at EU level for the issuance of Kimberley Process certifications to propose a European regulation on the correct distinction between natural and artificial diamonds.
• Eliminate customs blocks entering China of Mediterranean Red Coral products (Corallium Rubrum), true Made in Italy, and which are not subject to Cites restrictions.
Tax simplification
The world of gold and jewelery is the subject of special and necessary attention in terms of fiscal controls and procedures created to protect operators and consumers. Sometimes, however, these risk burdening and hindering the production and distribution of goods due to overlapping rules that penalize the competition of our companies. Goldsmith companies consider simplification important.
• Extend the Reverse Charge regime to the jewelery production and marketing chain. Introduce a new text of the law referred to in article 17 co. 5 of Presidential Decree 633/72 in order to introduce the reverse charge regime to all commercial steps within the industrial chain, thus solving many interpretative problems and creating obstacles to tax fraud.
• Amend the methods of application of art. 128, U.C. OF T.U.L.P.S. Administrative or precautionary detention in transactions between operators in the sector represents an obstacle to the circulation of goods without this bringing benefits in terms of traceability. In the BtoB exchange, the operator inherits an operation which is already fully traced in itself and which benefits from an extensive fiscal accounting documentation (transport document / invoice) in some cases, the sale and related transactions between operators could be the subject of other transactions between other subjects belonging to the goldsmith chain, adding, in fact, several times, the administrative or precautionary arrest.
Training
Over the next few years, the Italian goldsmith sector will witness the exit from the world of work of several thousand technical professionals due to their age limit. To date, the generational change of these skills is not guaranteed with the risk of impoverishing a unique wealth of knowledge.
• Re-launch vocational training courses through appropriate information and awareness campaigns (students, parents, teachers).
• Strengthen and finance the presence of higher education projects with particular regard to quality productions in artistic high schools, technical and professional institutes.
• Promote the generational relay in an appropriate way for the best management of knowledge transfer in the company.
