1,000 hires from 2020, sliding rankings, anti-bagarini measure. Culture in the 2019 maneuver approved in the Senate

On Sunday night, the 2019 budget bill (number 981) was approved by the Senate: the legislativeprocess now calls for the 2019 maneuver to be sent back to the House of Representatives where the final vote that will give the final green light will be held between December 27 and 31. Let’s see, one by one, all the measures for culture contained in the text of the maneuver. All the measures are contained inArticle 1. We list them in order of their paragraph number.

4.725 million to the Dante Alighieri Society. Paragraph 67-ter states that “For the year 2019, the expenditure of 4,725,000 euros is authorized as an extraordinary contribution for the works of recovery, conservative rehabilitation and extraordinary maintenance of the state-owned building Palazzo Firenze, headquarters of the Dante Alighieri Society.”

One thousand hires at MiBAC between 2020 and 2021. It is stated in paragraph 180 that “in order to pursue more effectively the institutional missions, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities is authorized, in compliance with the current staffing level, to carry out competitive procedures for the recruitment, as of the year 2020, of 500 non-managerial personnel, 250 of whom belonging to Area III, economic position F1, and 250 units belonging to Area II, economic position F1, and, as of the year 2021, of additional 500 units of non-managerial qualification staff, of which 250 units belonging to Area III, economic position F1, and 250 units belonging to Area II, economic position F1. The costs resulting from the hiring referred to in this paragraph, amounting to 18,620,405 euros for the year 2020 and 37,240,810 euros annually starting from the year 2021, shall be covered from the resources of the fund referred to in Article 1, paragraph 365, letter b), of Law No. 232 of December 11, 2016, as refinanced pursuant to paragraph 161 of this article.” The fund referred to in the 2016 law is the one established for open-ended recruitment within state administrations, which between 2020 and 2021 is refinanced (by Paragraph 161 of the maneuver) with about 750 million euros.

Release of the 2016 MiBAC competition rankings. Another 500 or more hires will come to MiBAC from the sliding of the rankings of the April 2016 competition. Paragraph 181 states that “in order to ensure better action for the protection and enhancement of the national cultural heritage, it is allowed to scroll, within the maximum expenditure limit of 3.75 million euros, for a number of positions exceeding 100 percent of the posts put up for competition, the rankings related to the public selection procedures announced pursuant to Article 1, paragraphs 328 et seq. of Law 28 December 2015, no. 208, in compliance with the personnel allocation set forth in Table B annexed to the regulation referred to in Prime Ministerial Decree No. 171 of August 29, 2014. Coverage of the costs, starting from the year 2019, shall be provided from the resources of the fund referred to in Article 1, paragraph 365, letter b), of Law No. 232 of December 11, 2016, as refinanced pursuant to paragraph 161 of this article.”

400,000 euros for the Institute for the History of the Italian Risorgimento. Paragraph 181-ter sanctions an appropriation of 400,000 euros per year for the study and research activities of the Institute for the History of the Italian Risorgimento.

Slidingof internal rankings to fill staffing gaps in Area II and III. Paragraph 182 guarantees the scrolling of internal rankings for the transition from Area II and III to cover staffing gaps: “in view of the need to strengthen the action for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage, in compliance with the limits of the organic allocations as well as the hiring powers and constraints provided for by the regulations in force, the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities may cover, for the year 2019, its staffing shortages in the professional profiles of Areas II and III by hiring in order of ranking, within the maximum limit of 50 percent of the hiring faculties for the year 2019 as ascertained by the decree of the President of the Council of Ministers referred to in Article 35, paragraph 4, of Legislative Decree No. 165 of March 30, 2001. 165, the candidates who, in the internal selection procedures for the transition to Area II and Area III respectively with rankings approved as of January 1, 2010, have been placed in the said rankings in a useful position according to the number of posts provided for in the respective notices for the filling of which each procedure was announced.”

Extension of fixed-term contracts. Personnel hired under fixed-term contracts will have their contracts extended, as stipulated in Paragraph 182-bis: “In order to meet temporary needs to strengthen interventions for the protection, supervision and inspection, protection and preservation as well as enhancement of cultural heritage under management, the extension until December 31, 2019, and within the spending limit of 1 million euros for the year 2019, of fixed-term contracts entered into by institutes and places of culture pursuant to Article 8 of Decree Law May 31, 2014, no. 83, converted, with amendments, by Law No. 106 of July 29, 2014.”

Three hires at the Accademia della Crusca. The measure is contained in paragraphs 189, 190, and 191. Paragraph 189 states that “in order to support the Italian language, taking into account its historical value as the foundation of national identity, and to promote its study and knowledge in Italy and abroad, the staffing of the Accademia della Crusca referred to in the Decree of the Minister for Cultural Assets and Activities March 1, 2002, shall be increased by three non-executive personnel. The Accademia della Crusca is authorized, by way of derogation from the existing hiring powers and the provisions of Article 4, paragraph 3, of Decree-Law No. 101 of August 31, 2013, converted, with amendments, by Law No. 125 of October 30, 2013, and without the prior conduct of the mobility procedures referred to in Article 30 of Legislative Decree No. 165, to hire, in the year 2019, on a permanent basis, through a special competitive procedure for titles and exams, a contingent of personnel of two units, belonging to area C, economic position C1, and one unit belonging to area B, economic position B1. Recruitment of staff belonging to area C may also be done through a reserved procedure pursuant to Article 20, paragraph 2, of Legislative Decree No. 75 of May 25, 2017, subject to the requirements and limits provided therein.” In 190, it is stated that “the administrative management of the Accademia della Crusca is entrusted to an Administrative Secretary, chosen, by means of a public selection procedure, from among persons of particular and proven professional qualification, hired by means of a fixed-term employment contract. The office of Administrative Secretary has a term of not less than three years and not more than five years and may be renewed once. The position is incompatible with other public or private employment or self-employment relationships, as well as with any other private professional activity, even occasional, that may conflict with the purposes and tasks of the Academy. The Administrative Secretary’s salary may not exceed the average salary of non-general level managers of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities.” Paragraph 191 decrees that “in order to meet the costs resulting from the hiring referred to in paragraphs 189 and 190, the expenditure of 236,000 euros per year is authorized starting from the year 2019.”

Hiring freeze in public administration confirmed until November 15, 2019. The text approved in the Senate incorporates the amendment blocking hiring in the P.A. until November 15, 2019. We read it in paragraph 208-septies: “for the year 2019, the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Ministries, non-economic public entities, tax agencies and Universities, in relation to the ordinary hiring powers referred to the aforementioned year, may not make recruitments of permanent staff with legal and economic effectiveness before November 15, 2019. For universities, the provision referred to in the previous period shall apply with reference to December 1, 2019 in relation to the ordinary hiring faculties of the same year. This is without prejudice to the grading to the role of associate professor pursuant to Article 24, paragraph 5 of Law No. 240 of December 30, 2010, which may be arranged during the year 2019 at the end of the contract as researcher referred to in Article 24, paragraph 3, letter b) of the same law.”

1.2 million euros for the Accademia dei Lincei. Approximately 970,000 euros spread over three years earmarked for hiring, as stipulated in paragraph 211-bis: “The Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei, in order to cope with unavoidable service needs of particular relevance and urgency aimed at ensuring the continuity and development of institutional activities in relation to actual needs, is authorized, on an extraordinary basis in the three-year period 2019-2021, by way of derogation from Article, 1 paragraph 227 of Law December 28, 2015, no. 208, to make recruitments of permanent staff to be classified in B1 qualification and C1 qualification, until the posts available in the current organic plan are filled. To this end, the expenditure of 203,855 euros is authorized for 2019, 340,598 euros for 2020 and 426,377 euros as of 2021.” The remaining 250,000 are for the “I Lincei per la scuola” project: “he contribution referred to in Article 1, paragraph, 385, letter h) of Law No. 208 of December 28, 2015, in favor of the Foundation ’I Lincei per la scuola’ at the Accademia nazionale dei Lincei is extended for the year 2019. The cost arising from this paragraph amounting to 250,000 euros for the year 2019 shall be provided by a corresponding reduction in the fund referred to in paragraph 421.”

3 million for the Italian Library for the Blind. The funds are distributed with 1 million euros for each year between 2019 and 2021. Thus paragraph 236: “The grant in favor of the Italian Library for the Blind ”Regina Margherita“ of Monza referred to in Article 1 of Law No. 260 of November 13, 2002, is increased by the amount of 1 million euros for each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021. In Article 1, paragraph 421 of Law No. 208 of December 28, 2015, the words ”and 2018“ are replaced by the following: ”, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021."

120,000 euros for the Ugo Spirito and Renzo De Felice Foundation. Paragraph 281-quater allocates 60,000 euros for 2019 and the same amount for 2020 to the Ugo Spirito and Renzo De Felice Foundation: “on the occasion of the fortieth year since the death of Ugo Spirito and the ninetieth year since the birth of Renzo De Felice, the expenditure of 60.000 for each of the years 2019 and 2020, in favor of the Ugo Spirito and Renzo De Felice Foundation for the purposes of the extraordinary program of inventorying, digitizing and dissemination of the book and archival collections owned by the Foundation, as well as the promotion of research and conferences to commemorate the philosopher’s thought and the historian’s work.”

Fire retrofitting of MiBAC buildings. Paragraph 304 provides that: “the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and the other ministries that have in use the properties referred to in Paragraph 303 shall, within the limits of available resources, provide for the standardization of any critical issues detected and the fulfillment of any prescriptions issued in the manner and timeframe established by one or more decrees of the Minister of the Interior, in consultation with the Minister of Cultural Assets and Activities and the Minister of Economy and Finance, after consultation with the administrations concerned, to be adopted within sixty days of the expiration of the deadline for the completion of the reconnaissance referred to in paragraph 303. The same decree provides for appropriate equivalent safety measures, executable in the institutes, places of culture and offices of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and other properties, for the purpose of compliance with fire prevention standards or any prescriptions given, to be completed in compliance with the deadlines provided by the decree referred to in the previous sentence and in any case no later than December 31, 2022.”

Culture bonus for 18-year-olds confirmed. 240 million euros are earmarked for 18app (instead of the 290 of the Gentiloni government: the remaining 50 will be used for other measures that we list below), but the Grillino intention to establish it on the basis of family income falls. It reads in paragraph 337 that “in order to promote the development of culture and knowledge of cultural heritage, all residents of the national territory in possession, where applicable, of a valid residence permit, who turn eighteen years of age in 2019, shall be allocated, in compliance with the maximum spending limit of 240 million euros, an electronic Card, which can be used to purchase tickets for theater and film performances and live shows, books, recorded music, admission tickets to museums, exhibitions and cultural events, monuments, galleries, archaeological areas and natural parks as well as to bear the costs related to music, theater or foreign language courses. The amounts allocated with the Card do not constitute taxable income from the beneficiary and do not count toward the value of the indicator of the equivalent economic situation. By decree of the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities, in consultation with the Minister of Economy and Finance, to be adopted within sixty days of the date this law comes into force, the nominal amounts to be allocated within the available resources, the criteria and procedures for the allocation and use of the Charter are defined.”

Additional funds for FUS, regions affected by the 2016 earthquake, rehabilitation of opera and symphony foundations, bands, applied arts, peripheries, digitization, Matera 2019, Parma 2020, L’Aquila earthquake anniversary. Part of the 50 million euros saved by cutting the culture bonus is allocated as follows: 8 million to the Single Fund for the Performing Arts (paragraph 338), 2 million for activities culture in the territories of Abruzzo, Lazio, Marche, and Umbria affected by the 2016 earthquake (339), 12.5 million for the rehabilitation of lyric-symphonic foundations (340), 1 million for support to festivals, choirs, and bands (341), 3.5 million for enhancement and promotion of the applied arts, specifically fashion, design, and graphics (342), 2 million for redevelopment and rehabilitation of urban suburbs including with contemporary art interventions (343), 4 million for digitization of cultural heritage (344), 2 million for Matera 2019 (345), 3 million for Parma Italian Capital of Culture 2020 (345-bis), 1 million for initiatives related to the anniversary of the 2009 L’Aquila earthquake (346), 4 million more for the Film and Audiovisual Investment Development Fund (347), 1 million for investments in redevelopment of UNESCO sites and intangible cultural heritage (349), 1.200,000 euros over two years (2019 and 2020, 600,000 euros per year) for conservation interventions and implementation of experimental projects related to heritage security in the regions of Abruzzo, Marche and Umbria and the provinces of Frosinone, Latina and Rieti.

Redistribution of the plan for contemporary art. Of the 4 million endowment of the plan for contemporary art, 3 million are earmarked for the promotion of Italian contemporary art abroad. Paragraph 349-ter states, “for the promotion of Italian contemporary art abroad, a share of the resources referred to in Article 3, paragraph 1, of Law No. 29 of February 23, 2001, equal to 3 million euros for each of the years 2019 and 2020 and 1 million euros from the year 2021 is allocated.”

Auctions for the sale of stamps. Paragraph 348-ter decrees the possibility for the universal postal service provider (i.e. the Italian Post Office) to promote philatelic auctions: “In Article 215 of Presidential Decree May 19, 1982 no. 655, after paragraph 4, insert the following: ’In order to promote and disseminate, also in the international context, the national philatelic culture and to valorize fixed assets of postage stamps while avoiding the risk of their depletion over time, in cases of storage at the universal postal service provider of a large quantity, not less than one billion copies, of postage stamps with the face value, also expressed in currency no longer having legal tender, no longer responding to any tariff in force, the said supplier is authorized to proceed directly to the sale, as collectible stamps, at prices other than nominal ones and also outside the territory of the State, through philatelic auctions even in several non-homogeneous lots after thirty days from the communication to the Ministry of Economy and Finance and the Ministry of Economic Development’”

500 thousand euros per year for disabled students in AFAM institutions. This is provided for in paragraph 416: “In order to allow also the institutions of higher artistic, musical and coreutic education (AFAM) to give concrete implementation to the services and initiatives in favor of the students referred to in Article 12 of Law February 5, 1992, no. 104, and students with disabilities exceeding 66 percent, as well as students with certification of specific learning disorder, the funds for the administrative operation and educational activities of AFAM institutions are increased by 500,000 euros annually starting from the year 2019, distributed among the various institutions in relation to the total number of students enrolled in them.”

300,000 euros to the Museum of Istrian-Fiuman-Dalmatian Civilization and the Historical Archives-Museum of Rijeka. This is provided by paragraph 423, which distributes the funds over three years, from 2019 to 2021: “in favor of the Museum of Istrian-Fiuman-Dalmatian Civilization and the Archive-Historical Museum of Rijeka, referred to in Law No. 92 of March 30, 2004, an additional contribution of 100,000 euros is granted for each of the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.”

Cut in the expenditure containment grant to autonomous museums. Paragraph 470 stipulates that autonomous museums will implement measures to secure more revenue for themselves and will thus see the contribution for expenditure containment reduced: “institutes and museums with special autonomy of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities referred to in Article 30, paragraphs 2 and 3, of the regulation referred to in Prime Ministerial Decree August 29, 2014, no. 171, put in place processes to ensure more effective realization of the institutional objectives pursued, aimed at ensuring higher own revenues as of the year 2019; to this end, the expenditure containment rules provided for in current legislation do not apply to them. Consequently, the appropriations for operating expenses of the relevant centers of responsibility to be allocated to the aforementioned institutes and museums are reduced by 2,350,000 euros, as of the same year.”

Cuts in tax credits on bookstores and movie theaters. Paragraph 471 confirms the cut for tax credits to bookstores and cinemas: “by decree of the Minister of Economy and Finance, in consultation with the Minister of Cultural Heritage and Activities, to be adopted within 30 days of the date of entry into force of this law, for each of the tax credits in List no. 1 annexed to this law, the percentage shares of the use of tax credits shall be established in such a way as to ensure positive effects on public finance balances of no less than 5,590,250 euros annually as of 2020.” The breakdown of the cuts is included in the table attached to the bill.

Anti-bagging measure. The lengthy Paragraph 651 introduces a measure against secondary ticketing, the “online scalping” of those who buy large quantities of tickets for concerts and events with the aim of reselling them at a higher price, and which in the intentions of the 5 Star Movement will also target traditional scalping, that outside the gates of stadiums and arenas. Under the measure, for events in facilities with a capacity of more than 5,000 spectators, tickets will become nominal. This will take effect July 1. However, the possibility, by those who purchase a ticket and can no longer go to the event, to transfer it to a third party remains unchanged, if done on an occasional basis and without commercial purposes (it will be necessary to initiate a practice of changing the nominal header). The measure does not apply to sporting events.

Image: the Senate chamber in Palazzo Madama. Ph. Credit

1,000 hires from 2020, sliding rankings, anti-bagarini measure. Culture in the 2019 maneuver approved in the Senate

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