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Ecuadorian migrants face economic crisis in Italy
Posted On 22 Nov 2011
Around 140.000 Ecuadorians live in Italy, 123.000 are residents with legal documents in that European country. They are being affected by the economic crisis, salaries do not cover their debts and there is a high unemployment rate.
Italy is the third largest economy in the Eurozone (countries using the euro as currency) after Germany and France and the eighth in world economy. It faces a high public debt of 1.9 billion euros ($ 2.6 billion), amount that represents 120% of GDP, indicate the Italian authorities.
The president of the Association of Ecuadorians living in Italy, “Justicia y verdad”, Mariano Jara, estimates that the unemployment rate among migrants is 13%, according to official figures from the Italian Government. “The unemployment rate in Italy is 9%, but it goes up to 13% among migrants, according to information that the Government itself has given us,” added Jara.
Italy is the third country from which remittances after the U.S. and Spain. The money comes from Italy to country accounts for 6.5% of national total. Jara remittances are expected to decrease since last September 17 took effect, a tax on foreign currency outflows of 2% from the amount of money sent from Italy to countries that are not part of the European Union.
The European Commission (EC) estimates that Italy’s deficit will be 3.6% this year, 2.9% in 2012 and 2.3% in 2013.
(MS)