Status: 07.01.2024, 19:15 PM
By: Mark Stoffers
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In the dispute with the EU over the extension of bathing concessions on beaches, Italy is apparently ignoring its own court rulings. With consequences?
Rome – There seems to be no end to the chaos surrounding Italy's beaches. Due to a legal dispute with the EU, the government in Italy had resurveyed its coasts last year - and had come to a surprising conclusion. However, this was not just a geographical adjustment, but rather the fact that the Italian paid beaches on public land are illegal in the EU's view.
Chaos over Italian beaches: bathing concessions may not be extended without tender
While it was previously estimated that the country has a combined coastline of around 8,000 kilometers, according to new calculations it should be more than 11,000 kilometers. Therefore, there are so many beaches and coasts in Italy that are free and suitable for swimming that there is no need for a public tender. However, it turned out that the report to the EU provided false information and even included rocks and port areas in the calculations – in order to prevent coastal strips from being seen as a "scarce commodity". This would have consequences for the tourist beaches, which are increasingly subject to charges.
Despite a court ruling, Italy continues to proceed as before with the extension of bathing concessions on its own beaches. The country is thus threatening to start a new dispute with the EU. © Franz Walter/Imago
Consequences that even the Council of State had reaffirmed in its last judgment a few days ago. The court ruled that the bathing licences could not be extended without a call for tenders. And yet, according to La Repubblica, everything seems to be going as usual. After all, despite the ruling that the extensions were inadmissible, Italy's government has apparently allowed municipalities to continue exactly as before.
Weakest link in the chain: Extension of concessions on Italy's beaches threatens officials
The result? From Venice to Palermo, mayors and governors are approving measures to extend concessions until the end of 2024, putting at risk the officials who must sign these extensions. This is because the judges made it clear that the responsibility lies with the public administration. In short, a chaos that threatens to end up on the shoulders of the municipal employees or the responsible councillors, the weakest link in the entire chain of the rich sector.
At least on a legal level, the chaos over the extension of bathing concessions on Italy's beaches has been resolved. The reality, on the other hand, is different. According to La Repubblica, the local authorities of the municipalities seem to be ignoring both the ruling and the European Bolkestein Directive "that the existence of a right to continue the relationship on the part of the current concession holders must be excluded".
From Venice to Sicily: Regions ignore ruling on bathing concessions on Italy's beaches
Sicily has issued a decree for the extension of bathing concessions on the island's beaches for the entire island and Campania has also taken similar measures.
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The municipality of Venice also made various concessions in this direction yesterday, following the example of Lecce and Bari. Riccione and Rimini in Emilia Romagna, Santa Margherita and Genoa in Liguria, Santa Marinella and Gaeta in Lazio, Camaiore and Viareggio in Tuscany, and Trieste and San Benedetto del Tronto have already taken similar measures.