INTESA SANPAOLO AND THE TRADE ASSOCIATIONS FOR COMMERCE, TOURISM AND CRAFTS: A PACT FOR THE GROWTH FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND LOCAL AREAS. NEW €20 BILLION PLAN

• Objective: to support the local and community economy, which comprises more than 4.4 million small and very small businesses throughout Italy
• Resources for investment, innovation, digitalisation, redevelopment and competitiveness
• Measures to counter the general rise in costs and incentives to support the uptake of digital payments, with the abolition of fees on in-store micropayments of up to €20. Support for small businesses of up to €100 million over 14 months
• Today in Milan, the measures were presented and the collaboration agreements with Confcommercio, Federalberghi and Confartigianato were renewed.

Milan, 8 October 2026 – Intesa Sanpaolo, through its Banca dei Territori Division, is launching a plan dedicated to small and micro-enterprises in the retail, craft and tourism sectors to promote economic benefits and job stability in various parts of the country. This initiative is in line with the mission of Italy’s leading banking group and with what CEO Carlo Messina has stated on several occasions: proximity to and focus on local areas, support for the local economy and working families, measures to protect employment, and engagement with associations and businesses to develop a common strategy that responds to the growth needs and future concerns of the many businesses that characterise entrepreneurial activity from large cities to small towns.

Intesa Sanpaolo is making available €20 billion for new loans for innovation, digitalisation and redevelopment, as well as incentives for digital payment systems, with the elimination of fees for amounts up to €20 made using physical POS terminals. These measures are the Bank’s way of responding to the real needs of the productive fabric, offering tangible support to entrepreneurs who, over time, have redefined their priorities and needs, transforming their cultural approach to ‘doing business’.

The measures, presented today in Milan, stem from discussions and ongoing collaboration with the main trade associations in the commerce, crafts and tourism sectors. The agreements with Confcommercio, Federalberghi and Confartigianato were renewed here, and a new system-wide pact was consolidated to strengthen competitiveness and address some of the current challenges, from energy costs to digital tools, specialised training and job protection.

The target businesses and the presentation of the initiatives
The new measures are aimed at the segment of small and micro-enterprises that fuel the local economy with shops, services, accommodation facilities and workshops. This represents a pool of approximately 800,000 businesses that are customers of the Banca dei Territori Division, which supports the economic fabric of the local communities in which it operates on a daily basis, listening closely to their various needs thanks to its constant presence in the area. This focus resulted in more than €20 billion in financing being provided to companies in this segment between 2020 and June 2026.
Following a presentation by Anna Roscio, Executive Director of Sales & Marketing for Businesses in Intesa Sanpaolo's Banca dei Territori Division, speeches were given by Carlo Sangalli, President of Confcommercio, Bernabò Bocca, President of Federalberghi, and Marco Granelli, President of Confartigianato. The closing remarks were delivered by Stefano Barrese, Head of the Banca dei Territori Division at Intesa Sanpaolo.

Connection to local areas and sector-specific characteristics: agreements with trade associations
• For retail: total waiver of fees on physical POS terminals for amounts up to €20, preferential terms above this threshold for digital payments and a dedicated initiative on POS fees. Approximately 3 billion transactions per year, with a transaction value of around €40 billion, representing a further contribution by Intesa Sanpaolo to the real economy estimated at around €100 million in lower costs for the benefit of small businesses.
• For the craft sector: financing solutions dedicated to investments in digital technology and energy, preferential terms on invoice discounting facilities to support liquidity management, and special terms on POS solutions to facilitate the acceptance of digital payments, including on the move.
• For tourism: supporting investments in the energy-efficiency upgrading of accommodation facilities, facilitating the financial management of seasonality through new instruments such as “Hotel Booking Advance” facilities, which enable seasonal peaks to be managed with greater flexibility and on more favourable terms, as well as a dedicated offer for accepting digital payments.

New features for the loans provided for in the agreements
For all the companies of the Associations represented, Intesa Sanpaolo is making available €20 billion for investments dedicated to business, digital and energy development. The new “Prima Rata Zero” financing solution has been introduced, whereby, for credit lines of up to €50,000, the bank will pay the interest portion of the first instalment, in addition to the interest portion of the instalments due at the end of 2027 and 2028 (Christmas Bonus).
The innovative “Flexibility Formula” has also been introduced, which allows the principal portion of instalments on existing loans to be suspended, extending the term of the loans to free up additional liquidity.

Focus on local areas goes beyond lending
To promote the new measures, Intesa Sanpaolo and the trade associations have launched the “Close to those who do business every day” roadshow, with the first stops dedicated to retail, which have already taken place in Padua, Florence and Naples. The initiative will continue in the coming months with new meetings organised together with other associations to strengthen direct dialogue with businesses in the regions and transform local needs into development opportunities.
Trade associations remain the partners with whom Intesa Sanpaolo promotes a culture of enterprise and identifies the needs of companies at every stage. It is from this ongoing dialogue that initiatives to support the local economy – a fundamental pillar for the country – are born.

The role of micro-enterprises in the national economy
So-called micro-enterprises, with a turnover of less than €2.5 million or fewer than 10 employees, represent a significant part of the Italian economy. In Italy, there are over 4.4 million micro-enterprises, accounting for 95% of the country's businesses, which employ approximately 7.5 million people (41% of the Italian workforce) and generate around 25% of national value added.
The climate of confidence is stable compared to December 2025 and up on previous periods, but energy costs, inflation and the price of raw materials remain the main concerns of businesses, with possible effects on investment and profitability.

Carlo Messina, Managing Director and CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo: “Our country is kept alive by small business owners who pass on Italian know-how from one generation to the next and enrich the production chains. We must protect this asset, and we must do so together with the world of associations, which has always been a key partner in our initiatives. Our strategic agreement with Confcommercio, Federalberghi and Confartigianato aims to foster development, competitiveness and innovation: we will do this with €20 billion in new credit and with our new measures announced today. In fact, the Bank will bear the interest on the first instalment of new loans and on those at the end of 2027 and the end of 2028, with an estimated saving of €600 for each business, while the abolition of fees for POS transactions below €20 will enable each merchant to save €450. In this way, we will contribute to the local economies by returning approximately €100 million in the form of lower costs over a period of 14 months. Our commitment and widespread presence are thus intended to contribute to the momentum of small businesses in commerce, tourism and craftsmanship, enabling them to tackle the most challenging phases of the economic landscape with a long-term vision”.

Bernabò Bocca, President of Federalberghi: “Intesa Sanpaolo’s initiative, which brings us here today and involves us directly, makes us feel less alone. On our bumpy journey, subject to the dangerous unforeseen events that current circumstances inevitably bring to bear on the performance of our businesses, we are now accompanied by Italy’s largest banking group, which is standing by our side, enabling us to continue in our quest to do what is best for Italy. Indeed, the loans earmarked for the needs of our small and medium-sized enterprises support the national economy, whose primary fabric is made up of the work of these local businesses, sometimes very small, which, through their hard work, enrich our local areas. We are proud to be part of this system-wide pact, which has the merit of representing a vision: that of supporting the small miracles of Italian entrepreneurship, with funding spread over time, the only way to ensure that Italy’s economy has the oxygen it needs to continue growing.”

Marco Granelli, President of Confartigianato: “Small businesses are facing a challenging phase which, despite the difficulties, requires them to accelerate investment in order to maintain their competitiveness and capacity for growth. This is why we now need credit that is closer to entrepreneurs, capable of understanding their projects, skills, potential and local specificities. This is the rationale behind our partnership with Intesa Sanpaolo, which aims to strengthen a bank-business dialogue based on knowledge and trust. Meeting the credit needs of artisans and small businesses means supporting the productive strength of Made in Italy. It means creating the conditions for those who generate value in the local areas to continue to grow, innovate, create jobs and tackle the major transitions of our time with greater vigour”.

Carlo Sangalli, President of Confcommercio: “The system-wide agreement signed today with Intesa Sanpaolo for the growth of small businesses and local areas is of great importance. Indeed, it can be translated into measures and tools for accessing credit that will help micro-enterprises in particular to benefit from resources to remain competitive in the market. It is also particularly significant that, under these new agreements, Confcommercio member businesses will no longer pay fees on digital transactions for amounts up to €20. The exemption threshold is being raised from €10 to €20, which is no small matter. Raising the exemption threshold to €20 will bring our member businesses estimated savings of around €100 million. This is a leap forward that points in the right direction: system costs must not place an excessive burden on businesses. And with these agreements, joining Confcommercio makes even more sense.”

Press information

Intesa Sanpaolo
Media and Associations Relations
Banca dei Territori and Local Media
stampa@intesasanpaolo.com

Intesa Sanpaolo, with more than €1.5 trillion in Customer Financial Assets and a loan book of nearly €440 billion at the end of June 2026, is the largest banking group in Italy, with a significant international presence. It is a European leader in Wealth Management, and operates an integrated Advisory, Asset Management and Protection platform, built on fully owned product factories and distribution networks working under full strategic control. Through its International Banks division, Intesa Sanpaolo operates commercial banks in 12 countries across Central and Eastern Europe and Egypt. Through its IMI Corporate & Investment Banking division, the Group is present in 23 countries where it facilitates the cross-border activities of its customers. With a world-class position in social impact, Intesa Sanpaolo is also committed to decarbonization and to supporting clients in the sustainable transition. The Bank’s network of museums, the Gallerie d’Italia, hosts its owned artistic heritage and cultural projects of recognized value.
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