Il Council of State puts an end to the long telenovela on bathing concessions. On Tuesday the highest administrative body ruled that public concessions relating to establishments they cannot be renewed beyond 31 December 2023. From the following day, "there will be no possibility of further extension, not even by legislative means - the judges write in one of the two published decisions - and the sector will in any case be open to the rules of competition".
Consequently, in 2024 public tenders will have to be held. It does not necessarily mean that the current concessionaires are destined to change: they too will be able to respond to the tender and, if they win, they will be able to continue working as they always have. Of course, the economic conditions will be different and, in all likelihood, more favorable for the state.
The pronouncement was also awaited by the head of government, Mario Draghi, which last week – in presenting the competition bill – he had said that he was awaiting the decision of the Council of State to define the executive's orientation on the matter.
At this point, the government has two years to do what Europe has been asking of Italy for some time: interrupt the extension or automatic renewal of tourist concessions (as foreseen by the Bolkestein directive of 2006) to liberalize the market.
The latest extension of the beach concessions launched by our country is theoretically valid until 2033. The Council of State has defined it as "abnormal", but has nevertheless chosen not to change anything until 2023 to "avoid the significant socio-economic impact that would result by an immediate and generalized forfeiture of all existing concessions".
However, the decision of the Council of State still reads, from 2024 January XNUMX "all state concessions must be considered ineffective, regardless of whether there is - or not - a subject taking over the concession".
Meanwhile, the turmoil continues in the world of taxi, ready to mobilize against the hypotheses of liberalization of the sector prefigured in the draft law on competition. The unions chose the path of a national strike on Tuesday, also indicating November 24th as a possible date and foreseeing a large demonstration in Rome.
