Italian banks and lessors have already
approved some 83,000 requests from SME-sized businesses to postpone
their lease and loan payments, according to figures just published
by the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF).
According to MEF data, by December 31 2009
banks and lessors received around 117,000 applications from their
SME customers, following the launch of the payment holyday scheme
during the summer.
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In total, the amount of loans and leases whose
payment has been delayed is already over €7 billion, the MEF
said.
The scheme – agreed between the MEF,
employers’ organisation Confindustria and banking association ABI –
allows Italian firms to suspend for six or 12 months the payment of
loans and leases.
Italy’s major banks as well as their leasing
subsidiaries, including UniCredit Leasing, Banca Agrileasing and
Leasint, joined the scheme last year.
Antonio Fabrizio
