"ZES 2.0": €60 billion plan to develop Italy's Special Economic Zone
16 July 2026
Intesa Sanpaolo has unveiled the "ZES 2.0" strategic plan, developed in collaboration with Confindustria and the Department for Southern Italy at the Presidency of the Council of Ministers. The initiative makes €60 billion available to support the nationwide development of Italy's Special Economic Zone (SEZ), funding investment, infrastructure and the energy transition. The plan strengthens the role of the SEZ as a driver of growth in Southern Italy and of the competitiveness of Italy's entire production system, while also aiming to attract new foreign investment.
A national plan to strengthen the competitiveness of the SEZ
The project aims to extend the many benefits offered by the Special Economic Zone across the entire country, enhancing the links between Northern and Southern Italy and reinforcing the renewed central role of the South in the country's industrial development, building on the progress achieved in recent years, including through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP).
The plan includes the following key initiatives:
- €60 billion in new resources dedicated to investment and infrastructure and energy upgrades, with a focus on attracting investment from companies based in Northern Italy and from international investors
- Strengthening the international presence of Italian SMEs through Intesa Sanpaolo's global network
- Roadshows in Italy and abroad to attract new capital, encourage investment and promote manufacturing projects in Southern Italy
- Advisory services for extraordinary finance transactions, including equity openings, business expansion, mergers and acquisitions, and generational succession.
Companies investing in the SEZ will also have access to a dedicated financing facility with preferential terms, complementing the public incentives available under current legislation.
"We firmly believe that the SEZ is a strategic driver of growth for Southern Italy and other parts of the country, given the contribution it has already made to the renewed economic dynamism of Southern Italy. We have believed in its potential since its inception, supporting it through targeted initiatives and by financing more than €12 billion in direct and indirect investments generated by the SEZ. The new additional €60 billion we are making available complements the simplified administrative procedures that have made this legislative framework so successful, delivering benefits not only for businesses in Southern Italy but also for companies based in the North”
Stefano Barrese, Head of Intesa Sanpaolo's Banca dei Territori Division
Since 2020, Intesa Sanpaolo has provided more than €28 billion in financing to Southern Italian regions, including over €12 billion supporting investments linked to the Special Economic Zone.
The SEZ at the heart of the partnership between Intesa Sanpaolo and Confindustria
The development of the Special Economic Zone as a strategic driver of connectivity and competitiveness is one of the cornerstones of the four-year agreement signed in 2025 between Intesa Sanpaolo and Confindustria to support the growth of Italian businesses.
Since then, eight regional events focusing on the opportunities offered by the SEZ have been organised, involving more than 1,000 companies operating across Italy's leading manufacturing supply chains.
In recent years, Intesa Sanpaolo has also organised dedicated international missions—including those to Dubai, Beijing, Frankfurt and New York —to engage international investors. In addition, it signed cooperation agreements with the Port System Authorities of Puglia, Trieste and Venice, when the Special Economic Zones were still organised on an interregional basis.
"ZES 2.0": businesses and institutions meet in Bari
The "ZES 2.0" initiative, the new €60 billion strategic plan for the development of the Special Economic Zone, was presented in Bari during an event attended by representatives of national institutions, the business community and industry associations, including Emanuele Orsini, President of Confindustria.
Discussions focused on Southern Italy's potential to become an internationally significant economic hub, thanks to its strategic location in the Mediterranean as a natural bridge between the East, North Africa and Europe. Participants also explored the benefits offered by the Single Special Economic Zone for Southern Italy, including simplified administrative procedures, tax credits and incentives for hiring young people and women.
During the event, the findings of "Check-up Mezzogiorno", a study conducted by SRM in collaboration with Confindustria, were also presented. The report showed that between 2019 and 2025 Southern Italy's GDP grew by 8.3%, compared with 6.3% for Italy as a whole, confirming the region's sustained growth trajectory.
Last updated 16 July 2026 at 13:28:19
