The document discusses possible state aid granted by the Italian government to motorway concession holders in various forms. Specifically, it raises concerns about two issues: 1) repeated prolongations of concessions without tendering, in violation of EU directives, constituting further state aid; and 2) tax exemptions for certain works not justified by Italy's tax regime. It provides background on Italy's motorway network and concessions, and analyzes recent legislation - the "Sblocca Italia" law - allowing concession holders to request extensions. Several specific cases of concessions facing or receiving extensions are examined, particularly those held by the Gavio Group. The writers believe urgent action is needed from the EU Commissioner to ensure public resources are properly allocated.

1. 1"
"
Ms#Margrethe#Vestager# #
(European"Commissioner"for"Competition)""
Cc:#Elżbieta#Bieńkowska# ##
(European"Commissioner"for"Internal"Mrkt)"
Brussels,"December"15,"2014"
"
Dear"Ms"Vestager,"
SUBJECT:#State#aid#in#favour#of#Italian#motorways"
We" take" the" liberty" of" writing" you" about" possible" State" aid" granted" by" the" Italian"
government"to"a"number"of"motorway"concession"holders"in"various"forms."
We" brought" this" issue" to" the" attention" of" your" predecessor," Joaquin" Almunia," and" of"
Commissioner"Barnier"last"August,"as"we"believe"that"the"aid"measures"also"violate"the"
Directive" on" the" award" of" concession" contracts." It" is" for" this" reason" that" we" copy" Ms"
Bieńkowska"in"this"letter"."
The"development"of"infrastructure"is"clearly"of"high"importance"for"Europe’s"integration"
and"connectivity.""However,"Italy"has"a"mature"network"of"motorways"and"most"of"them"
are"fully"amortised;"very"few"parts"of"the"territory"are"not"connected"through"this"kind"
of"infrastructure."Civic"associations"and"environmental"groups"are"active"in"numerous"
areas"concerned"by"new"construction"projects.1In"this"situation,"investment"in"this"area"
should"not"be"supported"through"public"resources"that"are"allocated"selectively"and"
without"tendering"to"existing"concession"holders,"which"T"as"you"will"see"in"the"annexed"
documents"T"have"already"benefited"from"extremely"favourable"conditions"in"several"
occasions"in"the"past."
Attached,"you’ll"find"a"complete"description"of"the"issues"at"stake"and"of"what"we"believe"
is"the"violation"of"EU"State"aid"and"concessions’"law"by"the"Italian"government."We"think"
that"it"is"urgent"that"you"react,"because"precious"and"scarce"public"resources"should"be"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
1 In particular, we are working in cooperation with the Coordinamento dei Comitati contro le autostrade Cr-Mn e Ti-Bre,
Coordinamento Comitati Ambientalisti Lombardia, Comitato Stop Orte-Mestre, Legambiente Lombardia, Coordinamento
Ambientalista Insieme in Rete."
"

2. 2"
"
allocated" on" the" basis" of" a" serious" assessment" of" their" capacity" to" produce" job"
opportunities"and"sustainable"economic"activity"and"not"by"bending"EU"rules.""
We" look" forward" to" the" opportunity" to" discuss" them" in" person" at" your" earliest"
convenience."
Yours"truly,"
"
Ernest"Urtasun,"MEP""""""""""""
"
Pascal"Durand,"MEP" "
"
Margrete"Auken,"MEP"
"
Monica"Frassoni,"coTPresident,"European"Green"Party"
"
Anna"Donati"(Green"ItaliaTVerdi"Europei)"""""
"
" "

3. 3"
"
BACKGROUND"
Italy’s"motorways"network"extends"for"around"7,400"km."Of"these,"around"5,800"km"are"
managed"by"the"Ministry"of"Infrastructure"and"Transport"through"25"concessions,"while"
another"950"km"are"directly"operated"by"ANAS,"the"State"agency"for"roads."Finally,"some"
650"km"are"owned"by"various"Italian"regions"and"managed"through"concessions."A"large"
share"of"this"network,"around"2,800"km,"is"operated"by"a"single"concessionaire"of"the"
Ministry"of"Infrastructure"and"Transport,"Autostrade"per"l’Italia"S.p.A.."
Legislation" regulating" the" Italian" motorway" system" and" its" concessions" is" a" web" of"
different"laws,"decrees"and"administrative"acts"that"dates"from"1955"and"that"make"the"
administration"of"such"system"very"opaque2."
Over" the" years," the" Italian" Government" has" financed" through" public" resources," the"
building,"extension"and"renovation"of"a"number"of"motorways,"without"following"any"
tendering" procedure" and" –" according" to" our" last" exchanges" with" ViceTpresident"
Almunia3"–"without"notifying"the"European"Commission."
Two" specific" State" aid" issues" arise" in" particular," in" favour" of" the" concessionaires" of"
Italian"motorways:"
1. Repeated" prolongation" of" concessions" without" tendering," in" violation" of" the"
Concessions"Directive,"and"potentially"configuring"further"aid"through"a"loss"of"
public"resources"for"the"State;"
2. Tax"exemptions"(“deTfiscalizzazione”)"for"a"number"of"works,"not"justified"by"the"
logic"and"nature"of"the"Italian"tax"regime;"
"
1. Concessions#already#extended#once,#now#become#endless#
a. Late&'90s&and&early&2000s&
With" the" legislative" and" CIPE’s" interventions" at" the" beginning" of" the" 1990’s," all"
motorway" concessions" in" Italy" were" extended" either" at" the" moment" of" their"
privatisation"or"by"the"foreseeing"of"new"investments."This"happened"despite"the"fact"
that" European" Directive" 37/’93," in" force" at" the" time," formally" required" motorway"
concessions"to"be"awarded"through"tendering,"and"called"on"all"Member"State"to"modify"
their"process"for"awarding"of"concessions."
For"example,"the"main"Autostrade"per"l’Italia"concession"was"extended"by"20"years"to"
2038;"the"TurinTBardonecchia"Sitaf"concession"was"extended"to"2050;"the"TurinTMilan"
Satap"concession"to"2026;"the"TorinoTPiacenza"Satap"motorway"concession"to"2016;"and"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
2"Some"of"the"main"acts"are"listed"in"Annex"1."
3"Letter"of"ViceTpresident"Almunia"to"Mr"Vacchelli"of"7"October"2014,"Annex"2."

4. 4"
"
the"Autostrada"dei"Fiori"concession"to"2021."Concessions"for"motorways"that"needed"to"
build"new"infrastructure"were"also"extended,"such"as"SAT"for"the"LivornoTCivitavecchia"
motorway,"extended"to"2046;"or"Autocamionale"Cisa"for"the"TiTBre"Parma"Verona"with"a"
endTdate"extended"to"2031."
b. “Sblocca&Italia”&
On"12"September"2014,"the"Italian"Government"adopted"a"law"decree,"“Sblocca"Italia”,4"
foreseeing"ways"to"unblock"public"works"that"have"remained"unrealised"for"allegedly"
bureaucratic"reasons."The"law"decree"was"converted"into"law"on"11"November"2014.5"
With"regard"to"motorways,"the"law"decree"contains"a"mixture"of"measures"theoretically"
applicable"to"all"concessionaires"and"of"provisions"dedicated"to"specific"motorways."
As" regards" concessions," its" Article" 5," "Rules" on" derogations" for" motorways"," allows""
existing" concession" holders" to" ask," by" the" end" of" 2014," for" an" extension" of" the"
concessions’" expiration" date." Such" request" should" be" subsequently" negotiated" and"
agreed" upon" by" 31st" August" 2015." Article" 5" also" requires" the" opinion" of" CIPE," the"
competent" Parliamentary" committees" and" the" Transport" Authority." However," if" these"
opinions"are"not"rendered"within"30"days,"the"works"can"proceed"without"them."The"aim"
of" such" prolongations" can" be" anything," from" old" and" new" investments," to" the"
development" of" the" existing" infrastructure," to" the" implementation" of" new" safety"
measures"or"technological"improvements."
According" to" paragraph" 3" of" Article" 5," all" “additional”" works" to" be" included" in" the"
concessions" should" be" subject" to" a" tendering" process." However," no" such" tendering" is"
foreseen"for"the"works"that"were"already"envisaged,"but"for"whom"the"concessions"are"
now"prolonged."The"latter"unfortunately"constitute"the"majority"of"the"works"foreseen"
so"that"the"rule"of"Article"5"(3)"will"probably"remain"unapplied.""The"prolongations"that"
are"asked"by"the"concessionaires"appear"to"concern"works"that"have"all"been"already"
agreed"upon"in"the"framework"of"the"current"concession"contracts"and"for"which"the"
Financial"and"Economic"Plans"have"all"been"agreed"by"the"Italian"State.67"
During" the" conversion" of" the" law" decree" into" law," the" Italian" Parliament" added" an"
important"new"paragraph,"4bis,"to"Article"5."This"stipulates"that"the"application"of"Article"
5" is" subject" to" the" previous" approval" of" the" competent" institutions" of" the" European"
Union.""
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
4"Decreto"Legge"12"settembre"2014""n.133."Misure"urgenti"per"l’apertura"dei"cantieri,"la"realizzazione"di"
opere"pubbliche,"la"digitalizzazione"del"paese,"la"semplificazione"burocratica,"l’emergenza"del"dissesto"
idrogeologico"e"per"la"ripresa"delle"attività"produttive."Pubblicato"sulla"G.U"n."212"del"12.09.2014."
5"G.U."n."262"del"11/11/2014."
6"“Autostrade,"le"opere"da"sbloccare”,"by"Alessandro"Arona,"in"Edilizia"e"Territorio,"Il"sole"24"ore,"15.09."
2014"
7"Roberto"Cuda,"Strade'senza'Uscita.'Banche,'costruttori'e'politici.'Le'nuove'autostrade'al'centro'di'un'
colossale'spreco'di'denaro'pubblico,"Edizioni"Castelvecchi"(2013)."

5. 5"
"
c. Specific&cases&
The"“Sblocca"Italia”"law"decree"relates"to"two"specific"cases"of"concessions’"derogation,"
while"a"number"of"other"ones"are"being"requested"by"the"concession"holders"on"the"basis"
of"Article"5,"and"have"been"announced"as"imminent"in"several"media"reports.""
i).'Paragraph'4'of'Article'5"
Paragraph"4"of"Article"5"provides"that"the"motorway"concessions"A21"Piacenza"Brescia,"
expired"in"2011,"and"A3"Naples"Pompeii"as"well"as"their"related"Financial"and"Economic"
Plans" are" approved" by" law" in" order" to" speed" up" the" process" of" "reTcommitment.”"
Nothing"is"said"in"the"provision"about"putting"these"concessions"to"tender."
ii).'Gavio'group"
Gavio"owns"the"Sias"group,"which"is"the"holder"of"all"motorway"concessions"in"NorthT
West"Italy,"i.e."a"network"of"around"1,400"km.""In"particular,"Sias"owns"of"the"following"
concession"holders:"
● SATAP"A4"Torino"Milano"(deadline"2026),"
● SATAP"A21"Torino"Piacenza"(deadline"2017),""
● Asti"Cuneo"(deadline"2035),""
● Torino"Savona"(deadline"2038),""
● Salt"A12"(deadline"2021),""
● SAV"(deadline"2032),"
● AutoCisa"A15"(deadline"2032),""
● AdF"Autostrada"dei"Fiori"(deadline"2021)."
Among"these"motorways,"prolongations"are"envisaged"for""
● AutoCisa" A15," to" build" the" motorway" ParmaTNogarole" Rocca" (€2.2" billion)."
However," this" concession" has" been" already" prolonged" to" 2031" for" the" same"
reason."
● SATAP" A4," to" modernise" the" TorinoTMilano" (€500" million)." This" motorway"
concession" has" also" already" been" prolonged" to" 2026" and" it" is" one" of" the" most"
rentable" motorway" concessions" in" Italy." In" 2013," the" TorinoTMilano" motorway"
has"registered"a"net"income"of"€45"million."
● Asti" Cuneo" (coTowned" at" 35%" by" Anas)," a" new" motorway" whose" concession"
deadline" was" established" in" 2008" as" 2035." As" it" has" been" only" partly" built," a"
further"€1.5"billion"is"envisaged"for"its"completion.""

6. 6"
"
For"all"of"them,"the"Gavio"Group"has"invoked"Article"5"of"the"“Sblocca"Italia”"decree"to"
merge"all"existing"concessions"and"obtain"a"further"prolongation"to"2043.""
iii).'Brennero'motorway"
The"Brennero"motorway"(“AutoBrennero”)"is"a"314"kmTlong"motorway"owned"by"the"
Autonomous"Provinces"of"Trento"and"Bolzano,"whose"concession"expired"on"30"April"
2014."A"tender"procedure"for"the"new"concession"has"been"annulled"by"an"Italian"court"
and"now"the"owners"ask"for"a"20"years"prolongation"of"the"existing"expired"concession"
to"realise"a"third"lane"between"Modena"and"Verona."""
AutoBrennero"has"also"invoked"Article"5"to"merge"the"concessions"of"three"adjoining"
motorways,"for"which"it"had"won"projectTfinancing"contracts,"prolong"them"from"2014"
to"2045."These"concern"in"particular"the"motorway"CampogallianoTSassuolo"(investment"
of" €881" million" for" a" 12" km" extension" and" a" 32" year" concession);" the" Cispadana"
ReggioloTFerrara"(investment"of"€1,160"billion"for"67"km,"and"a"49"year"concession);"
FerraraTPorto" Garibaldi" (investment" of" €663" million" for" 49" km," and" a" 43" year"
concession).""
iv).'Autovie'Venete"
Autovie" Venete" manages" the" concession" for" the" VeneziaTTrieste" motorway." This"
concession"was"previosuly"prolonged"in"2008"from"the"original"deadline"of"2008"to"the"
actual"one"of"2017,"to"build"a"third"lane."Since"then,"only"two"out"of"the"four"batches"of"
work" have" started" and" Autovie" Venete" appears" to" now" be" asking" for" –" and" the"
Government"agreeing"to"–"a"further"prolongation"to"2038,"i.e."another"21"years"for"works"
that"were"already"planned,"and"further"financing"of"€120"million8."
v).'BresciaEPadova"
The" BresciaTPadova" motorway," whose" original" deadline" expired" in" 2016," has" already"
been"prolonged"to"the"end"of"2026"via"an"administrative"act"of"CIPE,"under"the"condition"
that"the"final"project"for"the"Valdastico"Nord"part"be"approved"in"line"with"the"“Sblocca"
Italia”"decree,"by"the"relevant"Italian"authorities"before"30"June"2015.""
'''''''vi).'SAT'(LivornoECivitavecchia)"
Finally, the case of SAT (Tyrrhenian Livorno and Civitavecchia motorway) is already under
scrutiny by the EU authorities, for alleged irregularities related to the granting of the
concession. The European Commission considered that Italy had failed to fulfil its obligations
under EU public procurement rules, especially Directive 2004/18/EC and sent a reasoned
opinion to the Italian authorities, the second stage of the infringement procedure."
"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
8"See"http://www.commissarioterzacorsia.it/cms/data/browse/rassegna/000163.aspx."

7. 7"
"
2. Tax#exemptions#
The"Italian"government"has"also"decided"in"a"number"of"instances"to"selectively"grant"tax"
exemptions"to"motorway"concessionaires"to"allow"them"to"complete"a"number"of"works.""
a. Legal&framework&
Article"18"of"Law"no."183/20119"(supplemented"by"Article"33"of"DecreeTLaw"179/2012,"
then"transposed"into"Law"no."221/2012)"introduces"the"option"to"grant"a"number"of"tax"
relief" measures" to" incentivise" the" construction" of" new" infrastructure." The" Article"
foresees"exemptions"from"income"tax,"VAT,"and"concession"fees."Beneficiaries"of"such"
tax"relief"measures"are"the"publicTprivate"partnerships"established"for"the"building"of"
the"infrastructures,"whenever"the"need"exists"to"restore"the"balance"of"the"Financial"and"
Economic"Plan."
In" a" resolution" dated" 18" February" 2013,10" CIPE" approved" the" “Guidelines" for" the"
implementation"of"the"measures"envisaged"in"art."18"of"the"Italian"Law"no."183/2011”."
With"it,"CIPE"lays"out"the"requirements,"criteria"and"implementation"procedure"of"article"
18"of"the"Italian"Law"183/2011"as"regards"both"the"determination"and"concession"of"the"
tax"relief"amount"as"well"as"the"determination"of"the"relief"amount"in"cases"when"there"is"
an"improvement"in"the"market"conditions"which"allow"for"a"higher"selfTfinancing."
Now,"Article"11"of"the"“Sblocca"Italia”"lawTdecree"expands"the"number"of"potential"users"
of" these" tax" reliefs" as" it" lowers" the" threshold" value" of" the" eligible" works" from" €500"
million"to"€50"million."
"
b. Concrete&applications&
i. Pedemontana'Lombarda'
The"Pedemontana"Lombarda,"a"network"of"a"total"of"86,7"km"of"motorways"and"70"km"of"
new"provincial"and"municipal"roads,"is"still"partially"under"construction."The"procedures"
and"funding"arrangements"for"its"realisation"were"decided"by"Law"nº"443"of"2001,"the"
soTcalled"Legge"Obiettivo.""
The"financial"framework"for"the"construction"of"this"infrastructure"was"decided"by"CIPE"
with" Resolution" 97/2009." The" total" cost" of" the" work" is" €4,166" million." Of" these," the"
Government"granted"an"initial"€1,245"million"through"the"Legge"Obiettivo"itself"(€1,132"
million)"and"other"public"funds"(€113"million)."The"remaining"amount"of"€2,921"million"
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
9"
http://www.agenziaentrate.gov.it/wps/file/Nsilib/Nsi/Documentazione/Archivio/Normativa+fiscale+pri
ncipale/Legge+di+stabilita+2012/Legge+di+stabilita+2012/legge_stabilita_2012.pdf."
10"Italian"Official"Journal,"General"Series"no."206,"dated"3/9/2013."

8. 8"
"
was" supposed" to" be" collected" by" Pedemontana" Spa" through" its" own" resources" and"
project"financing."
Given"the"low"capitalisation"of"the"concession"holder,"its"high"level"of"debt,"and"the"failed"
attempt" to" sell" 43%" of" its" shares" on" the" market," on" 1" August" 2014" CIPE" approved" a"
number"of"tax"exemptions"(“deTfiscalizzazione”)"for"Pedemontana"Lombarda"in"order"to"
reTbalance" its" Financial" and" Economic" Plan.11" The" tax" exemptions" amounts" to" some"
€349"million"on"IRES,"IRAP"and"VAT"for"the"period"of"application"2016T2027"
ii. OrteEMestre'
On"10"November"2014,"CIPE"decided"also"to"approve"a"retroactive"tax"exemption"for"the"
motorway"OrteTMestre"(E45TE55),12"a"project"with"a"total"investment"of"€"9.7"billion,"
following"the"approval"of"the"“Sblocca"Italia”.""
The" highway" OrteTMestre," a" 400km" project" declared" of" “public" interest”" in" 2003" and"
worth"€"10"billion,"is"promoted"by"a"consortium"of"companies"led"by"Vito"Bonsignore13,"
a"well"known"businessman"and"politician,"convicted"in"2001"and"2011"on"corruption"
charges.""In"the"“Sblocca"Italia”"there"is"a"special"provision"(Article"2,"paragraph"4)"to"
help"the"Financial"Plan"of"this"motorway"with"a"tax"relief"measure"amounting"to"at"least"
€"2"billion"of"public"resources."This"ad'hoc'provision"was"considered"necessary"by"the"
Governement"after"the"Italian"Court"of"Auditors"annulled"a"previous"CIPE"approval"of"
the"project"on"7"July"2014"."The"CoA"judged"that"the"rules"in"force"did"not"allow"to"apply"
retroactively"to"the"works"declared"of"public"interest"the"tax"exemption"provided"for"in"
2013.""
The"retroactivity"of"the"tax"exemptions"inserted"in"the"“Sblocca"Italia”"to"overcome"the"
objections" of" the" Court" of" Auditors" is" a" serious" breach" of" any" legal" certainty" and"
substantially" alters" any" possibility" of" fair" competition." ." At" the" time," the" OrteTMestre"
concession"holder"was"chosen"by"ANAS"because"the"construction"would"be"selfTfunded."
State"aid"of"€"2"billion"accorded"retroactively"changes"radically"the"conditions"according"
to"which"the"concession"holder"won"so"that"any"tendering"should"be"repeated.""
This" distortion" of" competition" further" intervenes" in" the" context" of" a" legislation,"
introduced" at" the" time" of" the" Berlusconi" government," which" grants" to" the" concession"
holder"several"advantages"in"relation"to"the"other"competitors,"such"as"the"fact"that"the"
tender"takes"place"on"the"basis"of"its"preliminary"draft""and"that"it"has"the"right"to"adjust"
to"the"best"offer"presented"to"build"and"operate"the"infrastructure."In"case"of"loss,"the"
current"concession"holder"is"also"reimbursed"for"all"costs"incurred."
"
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11"http://www.cipecomitato.it/it/il_cipe/sedute/2014/allegati_esito_sedute/Seduta_0021/esito.pdf."
12"http://www.cipecomitato.it/it/il_cipe/sedute/2014/allegati_esito_sedute/Seduta_0008/esito.pdf."
13"http://www.dagospia.com/rubricaT3/politica/grandiTopereTgrandiTamiciTlupiTsbloccaTautostradaTorteTveneziaT
cheT66215.htm"

9. 9"
"
iii. BreBeMi,'(Direttissima'BresciaBergamoMilano,'A35)'
The"Highway""BresciaTBergamoTMilano"(BrebeMi,"62"km"in"parallel"to"the"A4"motorway)"
deserves" also" a" special" mention." Inaugurated" only" a" few" months" ago," BreBeMI" was"
supposed"to"be"the"first"motorway"built"in"project"financing,"and"the"first"to"complete"
the"European"tendering"procedure.""
In" reality," it" was" built" with" financial" resources" coming" from" the" EIB" and" the" Cassa"
Depositi"e"Prestiti,"respectively"lending"€"700"and"€"800"million."Today,"due"to"the"fact"
that"the"motorway"is"not"at"all"profitable14,"the"concession"holders"are"asking"for"further"
public" support." The" promoters" requested" tax" exemptions" but" this" was" explicitly"
excluded"by"the"Government."On"11"December"2014,"it"became"public"that"the"Italian"
government" and" the" Region" Lombardia" were" considering" granting" respectively" €"270"
and"€"60"millions"to"the"BreBeMi15."It"is"for"us"quite"clear"that"if"BreBeMi"will"get"this"
financial"support,"whether"this"would"amount"to"State"aid"and"the"conditions"which"led"
the"concession"holders"to"win"the"tender"over"the"American"company"Bechtel"would"be"
completely"upset."
Last"but"not"least,"just"to"give"an"idea"of"how"public"money"are"allocated,"it"is"worth"
mentioning" that" this" decision" came" in" the" context" of" the" Regione" Lombardia" cutting"
€"155"million"for"public"transports.""
""
3. State#aid#assessment#
a. Existence&of&aid&
The"prolongation#of#the#concessions"entails"the"attribution,"by"the"Italian"authorities,"
of"an"exclusive"right"to"perceiving"the"toll"fees."This"attribution"is"without"tendering"and"
thus"in"violation"of"the"Concessions"Directive."It"also"configures"the"existence"of"aid"as"
the"Italian"State"would"reTacquire"full"ownership"of"the"infrastructure"at"the"end"of"the"
concessions." On" the" contrary," by" prolonging" them," the" Italian" State" loses" public"
resources" and" grants" a" selective" advantage" to" the" existing" concessionaires." The"
prolongations" also" affect" trade" and" competition" because" it" reinforces" the"
concessionaires" visTàTvis" their" competitors" and" potential" new" entrants." This" is" even"
more"true"in"the"case"of"the"prolongation"of"projectTfinancing"contracts,"which"were"won"
on" the" basis" of" considerations" of" price," length" of" the" concessions," and" tolls" charged."
Changing" the" conditions" of" the" projectTfinancing" contracts" retroactively" amounts" to" a"
clear"violation"of"fair"conditions"of"competition.""
""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
14"Less"than"half"the"foreseen"trafic"and"very"high"tarifs"compared"to"A4"are"the"causes"of"the"already"deep"hole"in"the"
accounts"of"BreBeMi."http://bergamo.corriere.it/notizie/cronaca/14_ottobre_11/brebemiTvuotaTpartitellaTcalcioT
b3bc6d72T5123T11e4T8503T0b64997709c2.shtml"
15"http://www.bsnews.it/notizia.php?id=37510"

10. 10"
"
The"existence"of"aid"could"easily"be"avoided"through"either"direct"management"of"the"
infrastructure"or"the"attribution"through"a"proper"tendering."
Similarly,"the"taxRrelief#measures"do"not"appear"in"any"way"as"justified"by"the"nature"
and" logic" of" the" system" and" they" selectively" give" an" advantage" to" some" undertakings"
over" their" competitors." Thus," they" also" distort" trade" and" competition" and" clearly"
constitute"State"aid.""
b. Compatibility&of&the&aid&
None" of" the" above" aid" measures" appears" compatible" with" the" internal" market." As"
compensation"for"a"public"concession,"they"would"have"to"respect"all"the"conditions"of"
the" 2012" SGEIs" Framework." In" particular," for" the" aid" to" be" compatible," Italy" should"
demonstrate"that"these"measures:"
● comply"with"EU"public"procurement"rules;"
● are"based"on"a"clear"act"of"entrustment,"detailing"the"works"to"be"carried"forward"
and" their" duration," the" description" of" the" compensation" mechanism" and" the"
arrangements"necessary"to"ensure"the"absence"of"any"overcompensation;"
● are"granted"on"the"basis"of"a"precise"methodology"to"determine"the"exact""amount"
of"the"compensation;"
● respond"to"a"true"public"service"need,"verified"by"Italy"in"public"consultation;"
● last"for"a"period"that"is"justified"by"objective"needs;"
● use" the" same" method" to" compensate" all" beneficiaries" and" hence" do" not"
discriminate"between"concessionaires;"
● foresee"efficiency"incentives"in"the"compensation"mechanisms."
None"of"these"conditions"appear"fulfilled"by"the"measures"adopted"by"Italy"in"favour"of"a"
number" of" motorways" concessionaires." The" aid" is" to" be" considered" therefore"
incompatible."
"
4. Conclusion#
In"light"of"the"above,"it"appears"beyond"doubt"that"Italy"has"granted"incompatible"State"
aid"to"a"number"of"concession"holders"under"at"least"two"different"kinds"of"measures."
The"Italian"motorway"concessionaries"in"Italy"have"already"benefitted"from"important"
prolongations"of"their"concessions"in"the"past."Now,"no"further"aid"should"be"granted"
and" any" investment" to" be" realised" further" (even" those" already" foreseen" but" not" yet"
realised)"should"be"put"to"tender."

11. 11"
"
As"the"Commission"has"declared"not"to"have"been"informed"of"such"measures,"the"aid"is"
also"illegal"and"should"be"suspended.""
In"conclusion,"on"the"basis"of"Article"10(1)"of"the"Regulation"659/1999,"the"Commission"
has"enough"evidence"at"its"disposal"to"feel"under"a"duty"to"investigate"this"aid"and"to"ask"
Italy"to"suspend"its"granting."
"
"
Brussels,"December"15th"2014" "

12. 12"
"
Annex#1"
● Legge"21"maggio"1955"n."463,"che"stabilisce"la"disciplina"generale"delle"concessioni"
per"la"costruzione"e"gestione"di"tratte"autostradali;""
● Legge"23"febbraio"1992"n."498,"art."11,"che,"tra"l’altro,"assegna"al"CIPE"la"competenza"
ad" emanare" direttive" sulla" revisione" delle" concessioni" autostradali" ed" in" materia"
tariffaria;""
● Legge" 24" dicembre" 1993" n." 537," che" ha" avviato" il" processo" di" privatizzazione" del"
settore"ed"ha"introdotto"l’obbligo"dei"concessionari"di"pagare"un"canone"annuo"sui"
proventi"netti"da"pedaggio;""
● Decreto" Legislativo" 26" febbraio" 1994" n." 143" che" ha" stabilito" compiti" e" poteri"
spettanti"al"Concedente;"
● Delibera" CIPE" n." 319" del" 20" dicembre" 1996," che" ha" fatto" del" piano" finanziario"
l’elemento" di" verifica" del" servizio" ed" ha" aggiornato" le" modalità" di" adeguamento"
tariffario;"
● Decreto" Legge" 24.11.2006" n." 262," convertito" con" modificazioni" dalla" Legge"
03.10.2006"n."286"e"s.m.i.."che"è"incentrato"sull’istituto"della"“Convenzione"Unica”,"da"
stipulare" tra" il" Concedente" ed" ogni" concessionario" entro" un" anno" dal" primo"
aggiornamento"del"piano"finanziario,"ovvero"alla"prima"revisione"della"Convenzione"
in"essere"
● Legge" 06.06.2008" n." 101," che" ha" modificato," in" talune" parti," il" provvedimento" di"
conversione"del"citato"Decreto"Legge"n."262/2006,"e"ha"disposto"l’approvazione"di"
tutti"gli"schemi"di"convenzione"sottoscritti"con"le"società"concessionarie;""
● Decreto"Legge"30.12.2008"n."207,"che"ha"stabilito"che"i"titolari"di"concessioni"sono"
tenuti"ad"affidare"a"terzi"una"percentuale"minima"del"40%"dei"lavori""
● Legge"07.08.2012"n."134,"art."4,"che"prevede"che"dal"01.01.2014"le"proporzioni"dei"
lavori"da"affidare"sono:"per"quelli"con"procedura"ad"evidenza"pubblica,"sono"passate"
dal"40%"al"60%,"mentre"quelli"per"cui"si"potrà"affidare"i"lavori"tramite"affidamento"
diretto"sono"passate"dal"60%"al"40%.""
● Decreto" del" 6" luglio" 2011" n." 98," che" ha" avviato" il" processo" di" trasferimento" delle"
competenze" in" materia" di" concessioni" autostradali" da" Anas" al" Ministero" delle"
Infrastrutture""
● Decreto"Legge"6"dicembre"2011"n."201"(Disposizioni"urgenti"per"la"crescita,"l’equità"
ed" il" consolidamento" dei" conti" pubblici," c.d." “Salva" Italia”)," convertito" in" legge" con"
modificazioni"in"data"22"dicembre"2011,"che"ha"individuato"un"iter"semplificato"per"
addivenire" all’aggiornamento" o" alla" revisione" delle" convenzioni" autostradali." Il"
Decreto" ha" previsto" anche" novità" volte" a" favorire" la" realizzazione" delle" “opere" di"
interesse"strategico”"ed"in"project"financing.""
la"delibera"CIPE"n."27"del"21.03.2013"che"ha"integrato"la"Delibera"n."39/2007,"
introducendo"semplificazioni"procedurali"e"nuovi"criteri"per"l’aggiornamento"periodico"
dei"Piani"finanziari." "

13. 13"
"
Annex#2"
"
"
"

14. 14"
"
"