why this initiative

The digital economy creates value in four ways: by spurring national GDP growth, both directly and indirectly; by creating jobs; by boosting the growth and exports of companies, especially SMEs; and by supplying Internet users with a “value surplus” of additional benefits.

Boosting GDP

The digital economy:

2% direct impact
on Italian GDP

Notwithstanding the backsliding in the 2000s, the Italian digital economy has already had a direct positive impact on GDP. The direct impact of the Internet can be measured at up to 2%, with an estimated direct contribution to the Italian GDP around €30 billion in 2010. This figure includes private and public consumption, ICT-related investments and net contribution to the trade balance.

14% contribution
on GDP growth
in the last 4 years

Fueling further growth through fuller exploitation of the Internet’s potential could add significantly to national GDP in the near future. Already, the growth rate of the Italian digital economy since 2005 has been 10 times higher than overall GDP growth and has contributed 14% to overall growth (albeit from a low base).

Additional €20bn
as indirect impact

The Internet has had a significant indirect impact on GDP, through the “ROPO” effect, by which customers research online and purchase offline. In this consumer strategy purchases are made through traditional channels after options are identified and evaluated via the Web. ROPO has significant “changed the game” in many traditional sectors in Italy and according to estimates added €20 billion to the Italian economy in 2010.