14. Income tax

Effective group's tax rate for the year ended December 31, 2022, increased to 23.78% compared to 18.96% for the year ended December 31, 2021 mainly due to the fact that the previous year was positively affected by a relevant non-recurring item (the tax credit deriving from the "Patent Box regime" as described below).

For the year ended December 31 2022, the Group benefited from tax grants or similar totaling EUR 8,477 thousand, which are broken down as follows:

- EUR 1,641 thousand related to the not taxable energy bonus granted by the Italian Government;

- EUR 2,216 thousand related to the so-called ACE effect (e.g. tax benefit on retained earnings and capital increase);

- EUR 3,700 thousand related to the so called Industry 4.0. incentives (e.g. on investments in high technology capex), whose main beneficiary is the Italian subsidiary Nuova Ompi S.r.l.;

- EUR 920 thousand related to various tax grants/benefits.

Effective group’s tax rate slightly increased in 2021 compared to 2020, mainly due to several non-recurring items that affected the income tax expense:

- a release of deferred tax assets for EUR 2,421 thousand related to equity movements due to the early termination of legacy incentive plans aimed at a limited number of executives;

- in March 2021, the group reached an agreement with Italian Tax Agency regarding the so called "Patent Box regime", resulting in a retroactive EUR 7,559 thousand tax saving for the financial years 2016-2020. The Patent Box regime is a tax exemption related to, inter alia, the use of intellectual property assets. Business income derived from the use of each qualified intangible asset is partially exempted from taxation for both IRES and IRAP purposes. The Patent Box tax benefit relating to the years 2016-2020 is recorded within taxes relating to prior years.

- a gain on the sale of the minority interest in Swissfillon AG for EUR 12,258 thousand which is exempt from CIT;

- a tax accrual amounting to EUR 900 thousand related to an ongoing tax audit on fiscal year 2016.

Unrecognized tax losses as at December 31, 2022 and as at December 31, 2021 amounts to EUR 7,978 thousand and to EUR 3,800 thousand respectively. Deferred tax assets have not been recognized in respect of such tax losses carry-forwards because it is not probable that future taxable profit will be available against which the Group can use the benefits therefrom.

Deferred taxes are calculated based on the global allocation criteria, taking into account the cumulative amount of all the temporary differences, based on the average expected rates in force when these temporary differences reverse.

Deferred tax assets are recorded if there is the reasonable certainty that the temporary differences will reverse in future years against assessable income not lower than the differences that will be reversed. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is probable that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible and the tax loss carry-forwards are utilized.

The other effect movement includes foreign exchange differences and minor reclassification.