The Italian government said on Wednesday evening that it had settled a dispute with Brussels over opening coastal concessions to competition by adopting a bill to reform the sector after years of inertia.
In Italy, concessions are passed on from generation to generation with greater transparency, through automatic renewal, and according to some estimates the State receives 115 million euros per year from this sector, which generates 15 billion euros.
Exasperated by the inertia of the various Italian governments, the Brussels Commission has opened an infringement procedure against Rome.
“The collaboration between Rome and Brussels has made it possible to find a balance between the need to open up the concession market and the possibility of protecting the legitimate expectations of current concessionaires,” said a statement from the Italian government.
A market worth 115 million euros a year
The reform of coastal concessions now provides that they will be valid until September 2027 with the obligation to launch tenders for new concessions no later than June of the same year.
The new concessions will have a duration of 5 to 20 years to allow the new concessionaire to amortize its investments.
The new concessionaire will eventually be responsible for reimbursing the outgoing concessionaire for the portion of the investments made that has not been amortized.
The current concessions expired on December 31, 2023, by decision of the Council of State, Italy’s highest administrative court.
Supporters of the status quo argued that opening up to competition would roll out the red carpet for foreign multinationals, leading to higher prices and a dilution of the “Italian” character of the sector.
Others spoke of the risk of mafia infiltration.
Source: BFM TV
