The European table for Italy is full of dossiers, in a very complicated comparison dynamic. At stake is the positioning of our country in the community context, its centrality and its role. But it is also Europe that has something important at stake, namely the path to community integration and the possible rewriting of rules to adapt to a world and an economy that have changed profoundly in the last three years. Italy therefore has a very busy schedule. The response to the European Commission’s budget analysis is expected the day after tomorrow, where the focus is particularly on the use of the deficit and the path to returning to parameters between now and 2026. Then there are the games already underway. progress, those who were them attract attention. Starting with the Stability Pact. This is one of the cases in which an unbalanced summary of reform legislation could mark the inadequacy of the European response with regard to economic changes that also derive from geopolitical turning points. And it could also increase the gap in that dichotomy that has always constituted a political-cultural ballast to complete integration, that is, the difference between the countries of the North and the countries of the South. Between frugal countries and countries that, having a high debt , could suffer the devastating application of restrictions that are too strict. Italy is placed in this second group.
And the ongoing game involves the core of the deficit and debt recovery trajectories, on the one hand, and, on the other, the deduction from the calculations of some expenditure items (convincingly requested by the government in Rome). Both aspects define the room for maneuver for future economic policy, and Germany’s position, which has so far tried to impose a more rigorous perspective, weighs heavily in the debate. Spain, which holds the EU’s rotating presidency, presented a summary proposal, which is currently under discussion. Initially, an extraordinary economic council was planned, scheduled for next Thursday, which should have marked a decisive step towards reaching a regulatory regime. However, it will not be carried out. and this means that the negotiation is still at a complex stage. Linked to the theme of the Stability Pact is the ratification of the ESM, the European Stability Mechanism. The calendar is set for this week (Wednesday the 22nd). At this point, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni confirmed her doubts just a few days ago: “For me, nothing has changed.” The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, explained: «We need to have a global discussion about the Recovery. I’m not against ESM anyway. The rules are not very well written. We first need to create the Stability Pact and then we’ll see.” Therefore, confirming the logic followed so far by the government of a global negotiation on both dossiers.
Furthermore, the week that has just ended also saw some critical points in communications between the European Commission and Italy. The first concerned the one-off child benefit that was introduced in March 2022. The EU executive sent the communication to our country with a reasoned opinion that, in fact, establishes an advance in the infringement process against our country. The reasoned opinion, in fact, follows the letter of formal notice already delivered to Rome last February, to which Italy had sent its counter-arguments in June. Evidently, however, the Italian arguments did not seem sufficient in Brussels. The community executive accuses our country that “the legislation violates EU law, as it does not treat citizens fairly, which qualifies as discrimination”. Now, Italy has two months to respond and implement its initiatives. The EU will then be able to involve the EU Court of Justice.
Forwarding has already occurred in the case of PA payments. Unfortunately, timing is an age-old issue for our country’s economy. Well, the Commission accuses Italy of not having correctly applied the rules of the 2011 directive which establishes the obligation to pay invoices within 30 days, 60 for public hospitals. Finally, there is one last topic, which has been an area of discussion that has been going on for years: beach concessions. With a reasoned opinion, the EU challenges Italy to the result of the technical table, which calculated that the percentage of occupied areas would represent 33% of all available areas (thus demonstrating the non-existence of the requirement of “scarce resources” on the basis of application of the Bolkestein Directive). At this point, the government intends to continue the dialogue process with the EU. A thread of dialogue that is also confirmed on the European side. The reasoned opinion, said the European Commission’s spokesperson for the internal market, Bernsel, “does not prejudice the continuation of the negotiations we have with the Italian authorities”.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
