Zea, the Environmental Economic Zones, or areas that coincide with the territories of national parks, established by the climate law at the end of 2019, begin to fulfill their function.
Forty million euros in extraordinary grants earmarked nationwide for micro and small businesses, park guides that have an operational headquarters within a Zea or operate in a marine protected area and have suffered a reduction in turnover.
The extraordinary subsidy can be combined, within the ceiling of the loss incurred, with allowances and facilities, including financial ones, issued nationwide to cope with the economic-financial crisis caused by the Covid-19 health emergency, including allowances provided by Inps.
The philosophy of the intervention,” says Minister Sergio Costa, “is aimed at further enhancing the system of protected areas. Zeas have also been supported by the Stability Law, through incentives for returnable packaging, community composting, and timely metering of waste delivered to the public service. Now, with this call for micro and small businesses, the park guide businesses that have suffered reduced turnover, we want to further support the Zea, encouraging people to live, work and invest in the parks, our natural capital to be protected and enhanced. Environmental protection and economic development can and should coexist.”
The application must be filled out electronically by accessing through the credentials provided by the Revenue Agency to the portal https://www.contributozea.it that can be reached from the Ministry of the Environment website and relaunched from the Asinara National Park website. Applications can be submitted from February 15 until March 15, following the instructions for completion, and then beneficiaries will be met within sixty days.
For Park Commissioner Gabriela Scanu and Director Vittorio Gazale, this is an important recognition for the role of the Park’s economic operators. In fact, the beneficiaries of the grants will be micro and small businesses operating in the Asinara National Park that intend to apply, about 150 exclusive Park guides and economic operators certified with the quality mark. Park offices will be available to provide all clarifications for drafting applications.
