More relaxed climate between Aiscat and government. The association that brings together the motorway concessionaires first met the Minister of Infrastructure Enrico Giovannini and then the Minister of Economy Daniel Franco. Two meetings at a short distance from each other - the association says - which "have positively reopened the confrontation between the Government and Aiscat".
We are therefore far from the tensions and fibrillations that characterized relations with the Conte government after the dramatic collapse of the Morandi bridge. And we are trying to build a constructive dialogue in view of the huge investments linked to the Pnrr, the national recovery and resilience plan which commits Italy to the use of EU funds until 2026. This year it will be necessary to push on the accelerator and the new governance of the association – president Diego Cattoni, CEO of Autobrennero supported by the vice-presidents Francesco Bettoni (Autostrade Lombarde and Brebemi), Maurizio Paniz (Autovie Venete) and Roberto Tomasi (Autostrade per l'Italia) – entrusted Aiscat with the task of pooling the objectives and tools to quickly implement the objectives of the Pnrr which intend to revolutionize national mobility.
“We are on the eve of a real revolution of the entire transport system”, he underlined Diego Cattoni in a note released as a comment on the meetings held with the government. It is no coincidence, he noted, that "three of the six missions on which the Pnrr hinges directly invest our sector: digitization of the motorways, promotion of the ecological transition and an intermodal concept of mobility". The same objectives on which Aiscat intends to take action to build a strong collaboration with the Government.
“In a period of time unthinkable until yesterday – continues Cattoni – we are able to achieve smart highways able to reduce accidents by increasing the speed of movement and the capacity of the network without soil consumption, to accompany the alternation between internal combustion engines and electric motors thanks to the widespread diffusion of charging points also induction for battery and hydrogen vehicles and also to cooperate with the rail transport so that rubber and iron integrate to offer the best possible service”.
It is mainly ontechnological evolution of the existing motorways that Aiscat points to and the association undertakes to give its contribution to the Commission for concessions set up by Minister Giovannini, in the belief that a climate of collaboration is beneficial to all parties involved. On the other hand, the issues to be resolved have been the same for years: confirmation of the huge investments in infrastructure, stability of the concessions, simplification of the procurement procedures and consequent reduction of the now pathological recourse to litigation, resolution of conflicts of jurisdiction between institutions. Are these the pivotal points released from the association.
The first step has been taken. The next stage will be the presentation to the government of “considerations and proposals to best harmonize the evolution of the sector with the regulatory aspects”.
