Every day a company shuts down. The impact of the crisis in the north-western province of Varese, in the Lombardy region, is evident in the declining number of businesses, fallen by 2,000 to little over 62,000 from 2007.

The bleeding has doubled since the end of 2008. Back then it was another world. The authorized hours of short-time working allowance (Cassa Integrazione, Cig, or temporary lay-offs) were "only" 673,000 per quarter, a third of today's.

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Source: http://www.italy24.ilsole24ore.com