Priority question for written answer P-006688/2020 to the Commission Rule 138 (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID), Anna Bonfrisco (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID)

Subject: Concessions of state-owned property regarding beaches and beach facilities – call on the Commission to withdraw its infringement proceedings against

On 3 December 2020, the Commission sent a letter of formal notice to Italy concerning its 15-year extension of concessions of state-owned maritime land, as established by Law 145/2018. The Commission has officially stated that such an extension is in breach of Directive 2006/123/EC.

However, Law No 145/2018 associates the 15-year extension with the simultaneous launch of a reform of the Italian public maritime domain, without which it is impossible to lay down the terms of application of Directive 123/2006 (EC) to concessions of state-owned maritime land. Indeed, the PROMOIMPRESA judgment (Joined Cases C-458/14 and C-67/15) of the Court of Justice identified, among other criteria, the determination of the scarcity of resources as a prerequisite for the application of Article 12 of Directive 123/2006/EC.

In view of this, can the Commission answer the following questions:

1. Will it review its decision to send a letter of formal notice to Italy, also in view of the very serious economic crisis that has affected the tourism sector as a result of the pandemic?

2. Could it not, rather, call on the current Italian Government to proceed with its reform of the public maritime domain alongside its 15-year extension of the concessions, which is inevitably a transitional measure?

Supporters1

1 This question is supported by Members other than the authors: (ID), (ID), (ID), (ID)

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