U.O. Sistema Statistico Regionale U.O. Sistema Statistico Regionale


Veneto in figures

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Chapter 1 in figures

The new decade begins in the midst of an uncertain economic cycle
After a year of international recession in 2009 and slight recovery in 2010, the global economy was in deceleration by the end of 2011. 2011 can be defined as a year of uncertainty, further weakened by the financial crisis, although with many differences due to the persistence of a significant dissimilarity between emerging Countries and advanced economies. Although tensions on the financial markets have been focused on the Eurozone, the worsening of the economic framework has involved all major global economic area, even if at differing intensities. The growth in world GDP was around 3.9% in 2011, compared to 5.3% in 2010. For emerging Countries, the increase was of 6.2% while for advanced economies, growth was halved with respect to 2010, moving from 3.2% to 1.6%.
The European Union and the Eurozone closed the year with weak growth, both equal to +1.5%: the biggest push for growth was driven by the German economy, but also by Austria, Finland, Slovakia and Estonia. On the other hand, the structurally weak trend in Italy and Spain and the recession in Greece and Portugal is a cause for concern.
During the course of 2011, the Italian economy was weakened by tensions on the financial markets, which led to a differential of 550 basis points between the yield of Italian BTP government bonds and their German equivalents, and by manoeuvres for the recovery of public finance. In 2011 the increase in GDP was equal to 0.5%, a result of a recovery at the beginning of the year that then fell to negative variations.
For the region of Veneto, it is estimated that GDP growth was 0.6% in 2011. Internal demand has weakened and is mainly sustained by family consumption (+0.6%), whereas investments are slowing (-1.1%). The increase in GDP is greater than the national average, if only marginally, due to the region's strongly export-led production structure which has sustained production. The outcome of 2011 is mainly attributable to an increase in the manufacturing industry in the strict sense, the added value of which grew by 1.4%. The tertiary sector registered an increase of 0.9%, agriculture remained stable and the construction industry contracted by -2.5%.
Several estimates regarding the 2012-14 development of the main components of Veneto demand show that weak family consumption generates a loss in added value, while the contribution derived from investments is positive, though modest, and the effect of the exports trend has a positive impact equal to around 4.5 billion, such that it will more than compensate for the loss in added value connected to other sources of demand by 2013.

Chapter 1 in figures

Chapter 1 in figures
 
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Chapter 2 in figures

Economic components and the social environment
In 2011, Veneto exports again exceeded the threshold of 50 billion euros in value, returning to 2008 pre-crisis record levels with growth equal to +10.2% compared to 2010.
Internal trade is weak however: the national sales index of fixed retail trade closed 2011 with a contraction of 1.3% compared to the previous year, a synthesis of the stability of food sales and a reduction of 1.7% in non-food product sales. In the Veneto Region, the number of fixed location commercial enterprises maintained a substantial equilibrium in 2011, when compared to the previous year; mass retailers continued to demonstrate growth in more structured distribution forms even in 2010.
In 2011, the value of agricultural production in the Veneto Region appeared to be growing, estimated at about 5 billion euros, an increase of 5% compared to the previous year and among the highest levels of the last decade, equal to over 10% of the national total.
Around 73,800 agricultural farms operate in Veneto, with a reduction of 2.3% compared to the previous year, though still lower than average national variation (-3%). The number of agricultural workers is increasing (+3.2%), reaching 69,769 units, due to growth occurring both in the number of subordinate employees (+2.6%) and more so in that of self-employed workers (+3.9%).
Overall Veneto's entrepreneurial activities closed 2011 with a reduction of 0.3%. The clearest sign of the difficulties involved in the production system is the reduction in the entrepreneurial birth rate; fortunately, the death rate has remained stable compared to 2010 and is lower than the national figure. 2011 has seen the tertiary sector maintaining its driving role for the Veneto economy: the sector has grown by 0.6% over the past year; the manufacturing and construction industries have lost 1.3% and 0.7% of active businesses respectively.
The great potential of the Veneto's supply for tourism is demonstrated by the numbers: in 2011, there were around 15.8 million tourists, over one million more than the previous year (+8.1%), to which corresponds a significant though more moderate increase in stays (+4.2%), which reached around 63.4 million; a sign of the reduction in average holiday resort stays (4 days).
During the course of 2011, the job market showed positive signs of recovery: the Italian rate of employment is equal to 56.9%, while in Veneto the value is equal to 64.9%, an increase after two years of contraction. With regard to unemployment, the number of jobseekers in the region of Veneto fell by 17,000 units, recovering a good proportion of the decline registered between 2009 and 2010. The unemployment rate has thus fallen from 5.8% in 2010 to 5.0% in 2011 (in Italy, it remains at 8.4%).

Chapter 2 in figures

Chapter 2 in figures
 
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Chapter 3 in figures

Greater opportunities for the Country, starting from employment
The economic crisis hit our Country's labour market hard. From 2008 to 2010 in both Veneto and Italy, the employment rate fell by almost 2%. In 2011, the first signs of recovery were observed, with growth of 0.4% in Veneto.
Nevertheless, the new government's commitments on the short-term are focused on the less productive sections of the population, young people and women, who can contribute to breathing new life into the economic recovery. The unemployment rate among young people reached 20% in the region of Veneto in 2011, accompanied by a long-term unemployment rate of 6% (in 2010) and 14% of young people who do not work, study or train (in 2010).
The situation for women is also serious: the rate of employment among women in Italy was just over 46% in 2011, in Veneto it reached 54.8%. Considering the central age range (15-54), 61% of Veneto women with working partners work. This value falls to 58% if the woman has a child, and their average remuneration is lower than that of their partner in 66% of cases. The difficulty of reconciling home and work represents the biggest obstacle to overcome: for example, over two thirds of working Veneto women have rigidly set start and finish times for work, regardless of whether they have children or not. In fact, in European Countries where reconciliation is more complicated, the birth rate is also lower (1.46 in Veneto); a symptom of the fact that having a suitable job is a necessary condition for deciding whether to have children.
With regard to the ageing population, two are the objectives to achieve: an increase in the employment rate of the 15-64 population and a change in the pension system. In 2009 in Veneto, pension benefits for a total cost of around 19.662 million euros were paid out, weighing on regional GDP by 13.9%. Overall in the region there are 251 pensioners for every 1,000 residents and 61 for every 100 workers. The condition of pensioners in Veneto is better than in other regions: in Veneto, 44% receive less than 1,000 compared to a national average of 47%.

Chapter 3 in figures

Chapter 3 in figures
 
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Chapter 4 in figures

Investing in education: a choice for the future
In order to transform the recession into an opportunity for change, it is necessary to start with young people, their energy and their talents, such that we may create a more dynamic and competitive Italy characterised by a motivated and competent labour force.
In ten years, the population of Veneto has improved its education level significantly: 46.5% of Veneto residents have at least a diploma, compared to the 32.4% recorded in 2001. Participation in schooling is, in turn, improving: in 2010, the proportion of 18-24 year olds in the region who prematurely abandoned their studies fell by almost 4% compared to 2005, registering a value of 16% and thus reaching the Italian objective as outlined by the 'Europe 2020' strategy, and approaching the European objective.
Increasing numbers of students choose a senior high school, to the detriment of polytechnic schools and in particular, of vocational institutes: in 2011-2012 in Veneto, 43% of registrations to state schools were for a senior high school, compared to the 2000-2001 figure, which was 30%.
Although an increase on the previous year, the rate of passage from high school to university is far from the levels registered at the beginning of the new millennium: from 72% in Italy and 69% in Veneto in 2003-2004 to 63% and 64% respectively in 2009-2010; therefore, a lot of work has to be done in order to reach the European objective of increasing the proportion of 30-34 year olds with a degree to at least 40% over the next 10 years. In 2010, the Veneto percentage was equal to 18.6% compared to the EU27 figure of 33.6%.
However in order to increase levels of human capital, student and family support through financial aid plays a fundamental role. The main form of aid is still a school grant, which absorbs around 76% of resources destined for benefits; in Veneto, the proportion of school grants issued compared to those requested is increasing: in only two years this figure increased from 41.8% to 51.2%. Another fundamental aid is provided by the opportunity to find low-cost accommodation. In Italy, 60% of accommodation and rent contribution requests are fulfilled. In Veneto, the situation is better with 72.5% of places being assigned out of those requested.
Finally, a strong contribution to the competitiveness and development of the Country is also provided by PhD graduates. In summary, the region of Veneto has the ability to hold on to 74.5% of its research doctors, and its performance in terms of attractive quality is also good with over 27% moving to Veneto to find work.

Chapter 4 in figures

Chapter 4 in figures
 
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Chapter 5 in figures

Culture, a source of opportunity
The world of culture can play a strategic role, entering into relations with different dimensions that make Veneto a workshop of creativity and social, cultural and productive experiments of international significance. Culture is a free land welcoming diverse expressions and helping build relationships between the different actors present within the regional territory. Culture is a source of wealth, a widespread source of capital composed of artistic heritage, landscape and tradition, as well as know-how and innovation; it is a resource that is not consumed but reproduced. Investing in culture in a moment of financial crisis means projecting oneself towards the future, allowing for the creation of work and of wealth.
The candidacy of Venice and the North-East as European Capital of Culture 2019 represents an opportunity for economic development. Large-scale events have become the main driving forces behind accelerating infrastructural and cultural level processes; the enhancement of the tangible and intangible assets of our territory plays a fundamentally important role: a 'unique and typical' repository.

Chapter 5 in figures

 Chapter 5 in figures
 
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Chapter 6 in figures

Equality of opportunity
Questioning equality means understanding which aspects must be made equal, in the knowledge that human beings are profoundly different in terms of personal characteristics, experiences and preferences. It is thus necessary to ask ourselves what equality really is. It may be reasonable to reply that the level of equality in a particular society depends on its ability to ensure each individual the possibility to pursue their desired ends and objectives, in other words, a decent quality of life. The important point is to allow each person the opportunity for complete self-realisation, that is to say, one must ensure equality of opportunity.
As an unacceptable reflection of an unequal distribution of wealth, poverty is certainly an important limit to equality of opportunity. Having access to higher levels of education and appropriate care, possessing a comfortable home, participating in a rich and fulfilling social life, and feeling capable of tackling the most simple of daily tasks are preconditions for social inclusion, often denied to the poor.
Tackling poverty is precisely one of the objectives of the Europe 2020 strategy for the inclusive and cohesive growth of society. In Italy, almost 15 million people are estimated as at risk of poverty or social exclusion, with significant territorial differences and decidedly worrying conditions in the regions of the South. In the region of Veneto, discomfort is lower, with an incidence that is among the lowest on a regional level; however, there are around 700,000 people in difficulty, who do not live according to the common standards of the present society and, in the worst of cases, cannot cope with even the most fundamental requirements of daily life.
If we consider the perception of the problem during a particular moment of crisis such as the one which we are currently experiencing, poverty and inequality represent growing concerns, even in the most advanced Countries. The majority of citizens consider poverty as a form of social injustice and a serious problem that requires the urgent intervention of governments, perhaps through the better redistribution of wealth in order to plug existing disparities which are still considered excessive.
In Italy, as in the majority of OECD Countries, the past thirty years have witnessed an accentuation of wealth distribution inequalities among families, above all due to the fact that wealthier families profited for particularly high and increasing income to a greater extent than medium- to low-income families.

Chapter 6 in figures

Chapter 6 in figures
 
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Chapter 7 in figures

Integrating populations and cultures
In adopting the 2011 'European Agenda for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals', the European Commission highlighted that for successful integration; migrants must have the possibility to participate fully within their new communities, learning the language of the host Country, being able to access employment and education, and having the socio-economic ability to be self-sufficient are fundamental elements for successful integration. Migration is an opportunity and the contribution of migrants to society is important and must be fully acknowledged.
Openness to immigration, territorial attraction, employment and social integration are dimensions that contribute to conceptualising the integration process. In the international MIPEX study, which compared national immigration policies by assessing their degree of openness, our Country boasted a good position. Nevertheless, in this setting the phenomena that substantiate integration are not always free from criticism: in comparison to Italian citizens, foreigners are hit more profoundly by unemployment and have a worse quality of employment; with regard to education, they are more likely to leave school and, in general, have more precarious living situations. This national overview does not take regional differences into account, which sometimes include veritable strong points.
With a higher proportion of foreigners than the national average, the region of Veneto finds itself in a precise phase of the integration process: the data on naturalisation, generally shared with the regions of the North, confirms a now mature immigration process and, together with the continual presence of second-generation minor foreigners, demonstrates the desire for territorial rooting and belonging. This desire still struggles to express itself in terms of reaching higher levels of education, with a level of school leavers that remains high, although it has improved over time. The choice among young foreigners to train professionally is an aspect that divides them from Italians, a fact that on the one hand reveals the need for immediate employment and, on the other, is a symptom of greater difficulty in taking part in the social mobility process in order to elevate living conditions. From an employment point of view, the territory continues to offer good opportunities for foreigners: although often working in lower positions than they warrant, the proportion of employees on a fixed contract is high and the income gap between migrants and Italians is among the lowest in Italy. Moreover, in Veneto male foreigners find lower unemployment levels than national levels. For this reason, the possibility for migrants to have access to suitable accommodation in terms of conditions and economic sustainability is better than within the national context, such is the fact that the risk of finding oneself in conditions of poverty or social exclusion is also lower.

Chapter 7 in figures

Chapter 7 in figures
 
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Chapter 8 in figures

The transformation social and health care system of Veneto
The Veneto region is redefining its strategic directions with its proposal of the Social and Health Care Plan 2012-2012, currently under the examination of the Regional Council, and intends to seize these opportunities in order to improve its social and health care system while maintaining its excellent characteristics. The report that introduces the relative regional bill reads: 'we recognise the necessity to review the contents of the planning on the subject, with the intention to adapt the system to any social and epidemiological changes and, at the same time, to innovate organisational models in the footsteps of best practices realised over the years, in the pursuit of efficiency, efficacy and economic sustainability.'
The ever-expanding facade of needs and the limitations of available resources requires that the system be re-conceptualised in the attempt to try to maintain or improve the quality of services provided to citizens. This should occur at the same time as ensuring the financial balancing of management under conditions of efficiency and appropriateness. Among these needs, the growth in average life expectancy, alongside health advantages in later life, have provoked an increasing proportion of elderly people with a growing incidence on health spending, both in terms of hospital and territorial service costs.
Strategic choices for regional planning include: confirming and consolidating social and health care system integration, strengthening territorial health care, completing the rationalisation process for the hospital network, promoting the suitable use of professional resources through the redefinition operational and organisational models.
Social and health care system integration is the founding strategy of the Veneto model and is based upon acknowledgement of the centrality of the individual in relation to their life contexts. The rationalisation of the hospital network is aimed at reducing improper loads on the structures, privileging access to fields of greater complexity on the one hand, and strengthening territorial health care on the other.
With a view to networks, these choices become an opportunity to fine-tune an integrated management of the patient, based upon health care continuity, service integration and the collaboration of various health professionals. This management has been rewarding over time, demonstrating a performance that has historically placed our social and health care system among the best on a national and international level, both in terms of objective parameters and citizen satisfaction.

Chapter 8 in figures

Chapter 8 in figures
 
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Chapter 9 in figures

The region of Veneto compared to the best European performers
Within the context of increasingly intense competition between financial markets as the location for the settlement of highly qualified businesses and personnel, it becomes increasingly important for a region to identify its own competitive position in the international field in order to ensure future economic development. By allowing for a comparison between different regions on the basis of various types of indicators, regional benchmarking is a suitable tool for this purpose.
In this chapter, the economy of the region of Veneto is compared to that of Italy and Western Europe (Note 1), as well as to 12 other economically strong regions in order to define Veneto's competitive position on an international level and to identify its weaknesses and strengths, as well as any risks and opportunities (SWOT analysis).
We specifically chose to conduct the benchmarking using comparative parameters that are among the most highly performing economies in Europe, as we are aware of the potential of Veneto's economic structure and in order to transform critical concerns into instruments upon which we must work in order to improve the region's competitiveness in the world.
Veneto emerged from the international comparison with a higher pro capita GDP than that of Western Europe, but a weaker average GDP growth from 2000-2010 than the other benchmark regions. In general, GDP growth in the region is characterised by short-term jumps that are much more accentuated than in Italy and, above all, in Western Europe. In the past, the recovery capacity of Veneto has always been quicker and more intense than in the other regions: suffice to recall that in 2010, the year of recovery after the serious 2009 crisis, GDP growth was 3.2% in Veneto against 1.3% in Italy. From 2000 to 2010 in the Veneto, there was a reduction in productivity: this concerns a typically Italian characteristic, insofar as only the benchmark regions in Italy experienced a GDP growth that was lower than that of employment.
The attractiveness of Veneto falls within the Western European average. Though favoured by good accessibility, it is at the same time halted by heavy taxation, as is the case in other Italian regions, excessive regulation of the goods market and a lower productivity within university research when compared to that of the benchmark regions.
The results of the Italian regions compared to the index that measures the potential of the production structure are more critical, insofar as within its construction, the low degree of administrative decentralisation has a negative influence, and element that nevertheless does not fall within the sphere of influence of the region.

Chapter 9 in figures

Chapter 9 in figures
 
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Chapter 10 in figures

From crisis to the opportunity to re-launch enterprises
Between 2005 and 2011, differentiation of productive activities occurred, with changes in the relative weight of sectors. Traditional manufacturing with low technological content has, above all, been subject to a small but continual resizing, moving from 9.4% of businesses in the region of Veneto in 2005 to 6.4% in 2011. At the same time, specialist manufacturing sectors have grown from 1.8% of Veneto businesses in 2005 to 2.9% in 2001. The behaviour of the tertiary sector's segments with high knowledge content is analogous: technological and market services with high knowledge content in Veneto numbered 11.8% of active enterprises in 2005 and almost 14% in 2011.
In Italy in 2009, 1.26% of GDP was destined to research activities, a value that brings our nation ever closer to the national objective for 2020 of 1.53%. The effect on research spending on GDP in Veneto continues to grow, even through 2009, reaching 1.08%, a figure that has been growing since 2005. Spending breakdown furthermore demonstrates that almost two thirds are attributable to the private sector, though this has reported a slight contraction in spending compared to 2008. In the year most affected by the global crisis, the public sector also experienced negative variation, while universities and private non-profit organisations registered an increase in spending during the same period. R&D spending on entrepreneurial activities in Veneto mainly involves the manufacturing sector, from which almost 70% of spending originates.
From 2005 to 2010, workers in the region increased by 2.4%; in the same period, first line managers increased by 1%, managerial staff reduced (-8.4%), and freelance professionals increased significantly (+10.7%). This tendency seems to indicate that once forced out of the business, the most qualified workers return as consultants.
From 2005 to 2010, workers in Veneto significantly improved their education level: overall, degree holders increased by almost 61,000 and represent over 15% of Veneto workers. Over the years in the region, the number of white and blue collars being holders of degrees has continuously increased; something that is not the case among managerial staff, and even first line managers, across the sectors.
Veneto demonstrated itself to be a basically fertile land for the businesses born there: the solidity of the Veneto businesses is highlighted by the percentage of businesses still active in 2009, five years after their birth in 2004: 54% compared to the national average, close to 50%.

Chapter 10 in figures

Chapter 10 in figures
 
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Chapter 11 in figures

The strategic evolution of the Veneto internationalisation model
Over the past ten years, almost 70% of Veneto exports originated from five sectors: mechanical (18.9% of the total in 2010), fashion (18% in 2010), metals and metal products (11.2% in 2010), chemical and plastic (11% in 2010) and jewellery and eyewear (8.9% in 2010). The relative weight of the various sectors has nevertheless undergone some important changes. The mechanical sector has become the leader in terms of exported products with a share that has grown by 2.5% over the past ten years.
An analysis of trade trends over the past ten years confirms the movement of the Veneto trade axis towards the East. If we look at the decade from 2000-2010, more than 40% of accumulated growth of the overseas turnover generated by Veneto businesses was provided by exports transported to new Mediterranean and Eastern markets.
In the two-year period from 2010 to 2011, Germany was the EU Country that appeared to react most rapidly to the crisis and thus represents a valid comparison with Italy and the region of Veneto, bearing in mind that these territories are united in their preservation of a wide industrial base.
On a performance level, during the period that followed the mini-recession at the beginning of the new millennium until 2007, the German regions demonstrated export growth that was, on average, greater than that of the Veneto, with a particular dynamism being registered in Hessen and Bayern, areas in which exports increased in line with the trend in global demand.
In 2011, trade operatives in Veneto who has made sales on international markets again exceeded the threshold of 29,000 units, registering an annual growth of +5.8%. The recovery involved exporting businesses of all sizes, even if not to the same degree: the most sustained growth was experienced by larger businesses with an overseas turnover of over 100 million euros, which exported 21.7% more than in 2010.
With regard to active multi-nationalisation, in 2010 there were 1,043 multinational businesses present in the region. They were all Veneto businesses that were not controlled by foreign groups and that had shares in at least one foreign business. Overall within the sectors considered, there are 3,316 foreign businesses in which Veneto enterprises hold shares; a considerable increase from the 2,204 of 2001.
With regard to incoming shares, at the beginning of 2010 there were 473 Veneto businesses active within the sectors considered by the Reprint database in which foreign multinational businesses held shares; these businesses employ 46,582 employees and in 2010, had an aggregate turnover of 22,741 million euros.

Chapter 11 in figures

Chapter 11 in figures
 
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Chapter 12 in figures

The export of Bello e Ben Fatto ('beautiful and well-made'): the state of art and future opportunities
Several are the sectors which specialise in and manufacture high quality products in Veneto; however, to be able to carry out a homogeneous assessment based on national-level analyses which could serve as a preliminary study for Veneto, we only considered four sectors: foodstuffs, clothing and home textiles, footwear and furnishings (BBF products). The other sectors of Veneto that certainly should be included in the next assessment are goldsmith, eyewear and certain segments of the mechanic sectors.
Together, the four sections analysed in 2011 represented 21% of regional exports; the clout of Bello e Ben Fatto products (BBFs) on the exportation of products manufactured in Veneto, moreover, is greater by 8 percentage points in comparison with the national average. Even if we consider the single export sectors, the significance of the BBFs is higher in the region in comparison with the rest of Italy: the share of BBF products on the whole of textile and clothing exportation is greater by more than 12 percentage points and the gap widens up to 15 percentage points in the furnishings sector.
In 2011, the areas analysed (new and established markets) put together make up 79% of Veneto exportation of BBFs and, in particular, the weight of the new markets is at 17%. This incidence is greater in the furnishings and clothing sectors (23% and 21%, respectively), lesser in the foodstuffs sector (10%).
The most significant outlet Country in both cases is Russia which absorbs more than 30% of the BBFs exported to new markets, followed at a certain distance by Poland. China, which represents the third new end market for Italian BBFs, is in eighth position in the regional ranking.
The exports of BBF to the thirty principal new markets of the world will grow up to 136 billion euros in 2017 (values based on prices and changes constant in 2010).
The growth of BBF exportation around the world between 2012 and 2017 will be absorbed by more than 30% by Russia, China and the United Arab Emirates, the three new markets which, together with Poland, most significantly influence on the demand of BBFs worldwide in 2010.
Between the main new markets importing BBF foodstuffs, the market share of Veneto shows the highest value in comparison with Countries that are relatively close such as the Czech Republic and Poland, while Russia can be found in third position.
In 2011 the share of Veneto BBF clothing in the Russian market is 3.2%, and Russia is the principal importer of the clothing sector.
In 2011, Veneto's clout on the demand of BBF footwear from the main new importing markets equals 10% in the Czech Republic; followed by Croatia and Poland, areas where the demand Venetian products is around 5%.
Russia, the main new market for BBF furnishings, absorbed 12% of Veneto exports in the sector; such incidence Russian consumers' interest towards quality furnishings and design.

Chapter 12 in figures

Chapter 12 in figures
 
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Chapter 13 in figures

Tourism and opportunities
The tourism sector of Veneto can count on rich natural, cultural and entrepreneurial resources, and can offer multiple opportunities: opportunities of development and employment - which support the economic and social fabric of the region - and new opportunities for the visitors who choose Veneto as a holiday destination. From cities of art of unchallengeable supremacy worldwide to the natural heritage of the region, which allows it to satisfy every type of requirement, specific types of offers are being developed aiming at encouraging tourism during the low season for a better distribution of tourism flows, for example visits to the Veneto villas, congress tourism, cycling holidays, religious itineraries, the Piedmont area, the 'wine roads', etc.
The great potential of Veneto tourism, emphasised by the entrepreneurial capabilities of the operators and a well-structured and collaborative plan for tourism promotion, have allowed Veneto to achieve in 2011 its absolute record in tourist presence. In 2011 15.8 million tourists were counted, i.e. a million more in comparison with the previous year (+8,1%), with a significant although moderate increase (+4.2%) in the number of tourists, which reached around 63 million and 400 thousand.

Chapter 13 in figures

Chapter 13 in figures
 
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Chapter 14 in figures

New markets for Veneto
In 2010 the Gross Domestic Product of the BRICS Countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) represents 26% of the world GDP and in 2017 it will reach 32%. The growth of the GDP in the BRICS in these years has followed a logic that is very different from that of developed economies: after years of strong growth, the economic crisis has also struck these economies, but they did not take long to recover. In 2011, in fact, China's GDP increased by 9%.
The BRICS, apart from being an economic power, are also a demographic power, as they gather 43% of the world population, with China gathering 19% and India 18%. Their populations are young (around a quarter of the inhabitants are younger than 15); in recent years their living conditions have improved, and many people gradually abandoned the rural zones to live in ever more urbanised areas.
However, other Countries can also be included in the group of emerging Countries, taking into account the dynamic growth registered in the last few years: North African states, some Countries in Latin America and South-East Asia and Arab Countries which overlook the Gulf have increased their gross domestic product after 2009, on average of 5-6%, producing 13% of the world's wealth.
In terms of commercial exchanges, these new markets represent an interesting opportunity for Italy and Veneto. As a whole, the region exports nearly 9% of its wealth towards the BRICS and 6% towards other developing Countries. 15% of the imports to Veneto (most of which is from the fashion sector) come from Brazil, Russia, India, China e South Africa, and only 5% comes from other Countries.
The developing Countries also offer great growth opportunities for Veneto tourism: within the 10 million foreign tourists who visited Veneto in 2011, more than 9% came from BRICS Countries. We must add that in the space of a decade, the dimension of the phenomenon has grown enormously: from 2000 Chinese and Brazilian tourists have more than tripled, Russians have increased nearly five-fold, and Indian visitors have increased since 2005 by 136%.

Chapter 14 in figures

Chapter 14 in figures
 
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Chapter 15 in figures

Agriculture evolves, Veneto is in step
The shifts in international economic scenes are imposing a new agricultural entrepreneur figure, not only aimed at the production of foodstuffs but also capable of operating on the global market. From this perspective, if a noticeable effort is required to face the new challenges of the modern world, and mainly to the agricultural sector, which is penalised by a lack of dynamism and a low inclination towards innovation; however, such challenges are also opportunities that producers can grasp by adapting their way of doing business.
In 2010 the 6th Agriculture Census (Note 2) captured the Italian and Veneto effort to ride the change: in fact in the last 10 years the concentration process of agricultural land and the number of farms has been completed. The number of farms decreased by more than 30%, reducing to a little more than 120,000 for Veneto and more than 1,600,000 at national level. On the contrary, the drop in the extension of Utilised Agricultural Area (UAA) was definitely more contained (-5.3% for Veneto, -2.3% for Italy), reducing to a surface area greater than 800,000 hectares in Veneto and nearly equal to 13 million hectares in Italy.
The direct consequence is an increase in the average surface, which goes from 4.8 hectares in 2000 to the current value of 6.7 ha but remains lower than the average of Italy (7.9 hectares) and EU27 (17.9 hectares).
As regards livestock breeding, in 2010 (just as ten years before), Veneto was amongst the Italian regions with the greater number of breeding farms (20,000 units, i.e. nearly 10% of the national figure).
Italian agri-food products are universally recognised for their high quality, their typicality and their ability in conveying the culture of tasty yet healthy food throughout the world: Italy holds the European record in the number of food products of designated of origin: in 2011 they were 239, 20 of which were new and newly registered. 35 of the Italian food products with designation of origin are produced in Veneto, and the Veneto traditional agri-food products are 368 out of the 4,606 of Italy.
In recent years, the commitment to quality and typicality of Veneto and of the whole of Italy has been repaid by the rapid growth of agri-food export. In 2011, the value of Veneto's agri-food exports was almost 4.5 billions (the national value was 30 billions), equal to almost 9% of the total of Veneto exports. Of course, the lion's share is made up of wine, with over 1.3 billion euros not only covers 30% of the overall regional agri-food exports, but also of the national export of wine; all this in a situation that records a drop in wine consumption in Countries that are traditionally wine producers (35.8 litres pro capita per annum in Italy) and an exponential growth of exports to Countries with scant wine producing traditions.

Chapter 15 in figures

Chapter 15 in figures
 
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Chapter 16 in figures

The environment: an opportunity for development
Air, water, waste and woodland heritage represent some of the many facets of the 'environmental' issue and are dealt with in this chapter in order to attempt to give a picture, however blurry, of the health conditions of Veneto. Greenhouse gases fluctuate up and down, recording a reduction in emissions from 1990 to 1995 followed by an increase in 2000. In 2005, the most recent year on which data is available, a new reduction which brought the values back to the levels of 1995. Another important aspect concerning air is fine particulate pollution (PM10), which remains considerable despite a trend towards improvement. As regards water, nearly all rivers and lakes are ranked as 'good' based on the values of the indicators used to summarise the pollution level. The quality of drinking water is also good: in Veneto, in 2010, nitrates in drinking water never went over 50mg/l, i.e. never exceeded the risk threshold for human health.
Waste management is also functional to the protection and preservation of the territory. Up to 2008 the Eurostat data showed a continued growth in the production of urban waste. In 2009, for the first time, the trend reversed due to the economic crisis and the consequent drop in consumerism. Italy follows the same trend as the rest of the EU, and waste production per inhabitant is 532 kg/inhabitant per annum, a little higher than the European average of 512, with a quite similar dynamic over the course of time. However, the pro capita data of Veneto is better than both the Italian and European averages: 483kg/inhabitant in 2009. Regarding separate waste collection, Veneto has a longstanding presence in the top positions among the Italian regions; in 2009, with a separate waste share of 56.3%, it was second in national ranking after Trentino-Alto Adige. In 2010 Veneto was separating 58.3% of waste, thus drawing nearer to the target of 60% by 2011 set by Legislative Decree 152/2006. A further environmental issue, very critical, is conservation of natural woodland heritage, which in Veneto covers 414,894 hectares. Over the last three decades a remarkable decrease has occurred both in the number and in the extension of burnt areas: from more than 13,000 hectares during the period 1982-1991 down to 2.703 hectares during 2002-2011. Regarding the energy sector, which is obviously relevant to the environment, its importance is increasing even at the local level: since 2012, year of issuance of the so-called 'Burden Sharing' Decree of the Ministry of Economic Development (on 15/3/2012) all the tools needed to accurately determine in all details the aspects involved in sector planning: in fact, the Decree allocates the share for the Renewable Energy Sources Consumption (CFER) with respect to the Energy Final Gross Consumption (CFL)that each region shall reach in order to hit the national targets while taking advantage of available levers.

Chapter 16 in figures

Chapter 16 in figures
 
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Chapter 17 in figures

Travelling: need and opportunity
Some simple information helps to outline the styles and patterns of Veneto citizens' mobility.
Each year, from 2008 to 2011, the average number of daily journeys, the distance travelled and the time spent on daily commutes; travel by transport with a motorised means of transport is still predominant. Each day, in 2011, 2.8 journeys pro capita are made, 34.8 km are covered on average and for nearly 57 minutes each.
The number of journeys for work (39.4%) does not change, those for leisure time activities (25.5%, 27.1 in 2010) decrease, and journeys for family management increase (33.3%, 30.1 in 2010).
Analysis of weekday mobility shows a preference for the car and more generally for private means of transport. In Veneto, when a citizen decides to travel, in 63% of cases they do so as the driver of a private car and in 5.8% of cases as a passenger. Public transport remains behind and is chosen for 6% of journeys; it is interesting to note that the average share of journeys made on foot or by bike reaches 24%. The private car is chosen above all for quick and direct journeys whereas public transport is used less frequently but for longer journeys.
In 2010, in Veneto on average employed people spent 20.9 minutes (24.1 in Italy) to travel from home to the workplace, and students on average took 21 minutes to get to school (20.2 in Italy).
The overall index of user satisfaction of public transport quality summarises the passengers' opinions concerning the main characteristics of buses, coaches and trains (frequency, punctuality, possibility of finding a seat, journey speed, level of cleanliness of the means of transport, comfort level of the waiting areas, connections between the various areas of the same town, timetable convenience, and ticket fares). The index varies between 0 and 100, where values close to 0 indicate low satisfaction for the quality of the service and values close to 100 indicate high levels of appreciation. For each of the three public transport means, the satisfaction of Veneto users is higher than the Italian average, even if it is only for buses and coaches that the differential is significant. Overall, considering 50 as the minimum score for a satisfactory level of service, the users of Veneto have a positive opinion as far as buses and coaches are concerned, and a partially negative opinion on trains.

Chapter 17 in figures

Chapter 17 in figure