Amid Europe’s lockdowns, no safety net for millions in black economy

Bricklayer Salvatore La Barbera is worried that in a matter of days his family of four will run out of food and, with Italy locked down by coronavirus, there is no way he can earn money to buy more.

"Working in the black market is impossible, because the police ask why you are walking in the street," he told Reuters from Palermo, the capital of Sicily. "They want to know everything and you risk being fined."

La Barbera is one of millions in the shadow economies of Europe who face dire risks because they will fall through the safety nets being rolled out as economies slide into reverse.

In Sicily, one of Italy's poorest regions, concerns have been raised over the plight of the needy after some people refused to pay for goods at a Palermo supermarket and police were called.

According to an International Monetary Fund report in November, the share of the...