In relation to some press reports, the vice-president and councillor for economic development, work, family, university and research Achille Spinelli reiterates the main objectives of the ICEF revision proposal, which is to restore the indicator to a measurement tool that guarantees greater fairness, simplification, clarity and transparency, in addition to updating the reference parameters.
"The requests presented by the trade unions and ACLI had already been taken into consideration in the last meetings of the ICEF Technical Committee of Experts last July, at which the proponents themselves were present. In that context, the proposal to remodel and reintroduce flat-rate deductions had been examined in depth. An in-depth study by FBK-IRVAPP - the Institute for Evaluative Research on Public Policies - on deductions for income-generating expenses of female workers was then presented, comparing the current state with the reform scenario and with a further scenario that would only change the way of calculating income-generating expenses of female workers compared to the latter,' Spinelli explains.
"Comparing the three scenarios in terms of calculating deductions, it was concretely demonstrated that the reform improves equity among households, while increasing the ICEF value in some cases, both with respect to the current ICEF and to the proposal put forward by the trade unions. The trade unions' analysis essentially disregards the underlying rationale and logic of the process, which is not aimed at harming households but at restoring a fairer valuation. Condition-specific variables of household members are to be assessed in the provision of benefits and not in the measurement of household 'wealth'. It seems peculiar that trade unions advocate the application of arbitrary deductions, rather than based on the actual amount of income. The simulations conducted, in fact, belie the legitimate concerns of the trade unions regarding the protection of women's work and the work of both parents: instead, they are valorised within the framework with the doubling of the percentage and the ceiling of the deduction for work,' the councillor continues.
"To truly valorise women's work, it is necessary that this evaluation is carried out at the level of disbursement of the benefits that provide this incentive and not at the level of measuring the level of economic condition. It is therefore necessary to make an in-depth assessment in the applications and measures adopted, for example by considering specific correctives aimed at recognising and supporting the condition of working women. The current complexity reached by the ICEF and the difficulty in proper governance, given the accumulation of deductions in some areas, is such that the current indicator is considered unfair. As for the reform of the AUP and the poverty indicator, these will in any case come into force from June 2026 and the changes, compared to the current configuration of aspects characterising the indicator, are minimal. On the other hand, the exclusion of the Universal Single Allowance (AUU) from the income calculation (no cumulation) is a significant advantage for families (an average of €156 per child per month in the province of Trento), especially for large families, which are further protected by the coefficients provided for in the equivalence scale. These considerations also emerged at the vice-president's recent meeting with representatives of the provincial Family Forum. Similarly, no changes have been made to the disability condition, which continues to have the necessary and just protections: in fact, a specific indicator for disability and non-self-sufficiency will be introduced next year. In any case, I confirm my utmost willingness to engage in discussions in itinere; I also reiterate the Council's desire to minimise the effects on households. Moreover, as I have confirmed both with the ICEF Committee, with the Forum, and with the trade union representatives, the revision will be applied gradually, accompanying the PAT structures in such a way as to guarantee in the first application a substantial absence of impact on policies. Everything will also be carefully monitored with the valuable help of IRVAPP,' Spinelli concludes.
Publication date: 02/08/2025
