EU: 'Italy respects European law on bathing concessions'

   "We are aware of the latest developments in Italy" on bathing concessions with the competition decree.

"It is an Italian prerogative to decide how to proceed with the reform. The content is important to the Commission, not the form this reform will take".

This was stated by a spokeswoman for the European Commission.

It is however "important - added the spokesman - that the Italian authorities quickly bring their legislation and their practices relating to the attribution of bathing concessions into conformity with European law and the jurisprudence of the Court of Justice". 

The Italian bathing concessions system has been in the sights of Brussels since 2009. In 2016, at the end of an initial infringement procedure, the EU Court of Justice ruled on the case with a sentence condemning Italy for non-compliance with European rules on the single market and competition. On 3 December 2020, the European Commission had returned to office with the launch of a new infringement procedure - which this time could end with the imposition of a financial penalty - underlining that not only had Italy not yet implemented the judgment of the Court of 2016, but which "since then has further extended the authorizations in force until the end of 2033 and prohibited the authoritiespremises to initiate or continue public selection procedures for the assignment of concessions, which would otherwise have expired ". On February 16, the EU commissioner for the single market, Thierry Breton, also intervened on the case, recalling" the Italian regulations in force "on concessions seaside resorts "not only violate EU law, but also compromise legal certainty for seaside tourist services. The Commission, as guardian of the treaties, will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance with EU law in this sector ".the current Italian rules "on bathing concessions" not only violate EU law, but also compromise legal certainty for bathing tourist services. The Commission, as guardian of the treaties, will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance with EU law in this sector ".the current Italian rules "on bathing concessions" not only violate EU law, but also compromise legal certainty for bathing tourist services. The Commission, as guardian of the treaties, will continue to take the necessary measures to ensure full compliance with EU law in this sector ".