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"

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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"

"

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"

"

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"

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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"

"

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.""

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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"

"

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"

"

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."

"

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8"See"http://www.commissarioterzacorsia.it/cms/data/browse/rassegna/000163.aspx."

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"

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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"

"

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"

"

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"

"

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"

"

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"

"

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"

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Annex#2"

"

"

"

14"

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"