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EUROPEAN

COMMISSION

Brussels, 3.2.2017

SWD(2017) 47 final

COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT

The EU Environmental Implementation Review

Country Report - ITALY

Accompanying the document

Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the

European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

The EU Environmental Implementation Review: Common Challenges and how to

combine efforts to deliver better results

{COM(2017) 63 final}

{SWD(2017) 33 - 46 final}

{SWD(2017) 48 - 60 final}

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This report has been written by the staff of the Directorate-General for Environment, European

Commission. Any comments are welcome to the following e-mail address:

[email protected]

More information on the European Union is available on the internet (http://europa.eu).

Photographs: p.13 – ©gehringj/iStock, p.20 – ©Peeter Viisimaa/iStock, p.22 – ©hraska/iStock, p.28

– ©onairda/iStock

For reproduction or use of these photos, permission must be sought directly from the copyright

holder.

©European Union, 2017

Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged.

kom (2017) 0063 - Ingen titel

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Table of Content

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY .................................................................................................................................... 4

PART I: THEMATIC AREAS................................................................................................................................ 5

TURNING THE EU INTO A CIRCULAR, RESOURCE-EFFICIENT, GREEN AND COMPETITIVE LOW-

CARBON ECONOMY ............................................................................................................................... 5

Developing a circular economy and improving resource efficiency ...................................................... 5

Waste management .............................................................................................................................. 8

PROTECTING, CONSERVING AND ENHANCING NATURAL CAPITAL ..................................................... 11

Nature and Biodiversity ....................................................................................................................... 11

Estimating Natural Capital ................................................................................................................... 13

Green infrastructure ............................................................................................................................ 13

Soil protection ..................................................................................................................................... 13

Marine protection ............................................................................................................................... 15

ENSURING CITIZENS' HEALTH AND QUALITY OF LIFE .......................................................................... 16

Air quality ............................................................................................................................................ 16

Noise ................................................................................................................................................. 17

Water quality and management ......................................................................................................... 17

Enhancing the sustainability of cities .................................................................................................. 21

International agreements .................................................................................................................... 23

PART II: ENABLING FRAMEWORK: IMPLEMENTATION TOOLS ...................................................................... 24

MARKET BASED INSTRUMENTS AND INVESTMENTS ........................................................................... 24

Green taxation and environmentally harmful subsidies ..................................................................... 24

Green Public Procurement .................................................................................................................. 25

Investments: the contribution of EU funds ......................................................................................... 25

EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE AND KNOWLEDGE ...................................................................................... 28

Effective governance within central, regional and local government ................................................. 28

Compliance assurance ......................................................................................................................... 31

Public participation and access to justice ............................................................................................ 32

Access to Information, knowledge and evidence ................................................................................ 33

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Executive summary

About the Environmental Implementation Review

In May 2016, the Commission launched the

Environmental Implementation Review (EIR), a two-year

cycle of analysis, dialogue and collaboration to improve

the implementation of existing EU environmental policy

and legislation

. As a first step, the Commission drafted

28 reports describing the main challenges and

opportunities on environmental implementation for each

Member State. These reports are meant to stimulate a

positive debate both on shared environmental challenges

for the EU, as well as on the most effective ways to

address the key implementation gaps. The reports rely on

the detailed sectoral implementation reports collected or

issued by the Commission under specific environmental

legislation as well as the 2015 State of the Environment

Report and other reports by the European Environment

Agency. These reports will not replace the specific

instruments to ensure compliance with EU legal

obligations.

The reports will broadly follow the outline of the 7th

Environmental Action Programme

and refer to the 2030

Agenda for Sustainable development and related

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

to the extent to

which they reflect the existing obligations and policy

objectives of EU environmental law

The main challenges have been selected by taking into

account factors such as the importance or the gravity of

the environmental implementation issue in the light of

the impact on the quality of life of the citizens, the

distance to target, and financial implications.

The reports accompany the Communication "The

Environmental Implementation Review 2016: Common

challenges and how to combine efforts to deliver better

results",

which identifies challenges that are common to

several Member States, provides preliminary conclusions

on possible root causes of implementation gaps and

proposes joint actions to deliver better results. It also

groups in its Annex the actions proposed in each country

report to improve implementation at national level.

pioneering voluntary agreements, and has one of the

highest levels of EMAS and Eco-labels in the EU. The

adoption of the

Collegato Ambientale

was a major step

forward towards environmental integration.

Main Challenges

The main challenges with regard to implementation of EU

environmental policy and law in Italy are to:



Improve

waste

management

and

water

infrastructure, including waste water treatment,

which are persistent concerns particularly in

southern Italy.



Improve management of land use, flooding and air

pollution in the centre and northern regions.



Designate remaining SACs. Improving the

conservation status of habitats and species of EU

interest by fully implementing the Natura 2000

instruments, using the regional Prioritised Action

Frameworks to ensure a better integration of EU

funds and a more strategic planning of investments.

Main Opportunities

Italy could perform better on topics where there is

already a good knowledge base and good practices. This

applies in particular to:



Use the opportunities for EIB loans and

environmental investment with the ESIF support and

the EFSI. ESIF support can increase the quality and

efficiency of public administration to develop a

better model of environmental governance.



Use the proposed Green Act and the Committee on

Environmental Taxation to make wide-ranging

proposals.



Use the Integrated Project “GESTIRE 2020” [to

update the Lombardy Natura 2000Prioritised Action

Framework] as an example for other Italian regions.

Points of Excellence

Where Italy has developed innovative approaches they

could be shared with other countries. Good examples are:



Integrated environmental assessments & the user-

friendliness of the webportal of the Ministry of

Environment on EIA & SEA.



Regional Administrative Reinforcement Plans

covering ESIF and national funds



The Committee on Environmental Accounting

established by the

Collegato Ambientale.



Innovative approaches developed by LIFE projects.



The BES (Benessere

equo e sostenibile

) indicators.

General profile

Environmental implementation represents a challenge in

Italy with high regional variations in water and waste

management. With regard to resource efficiency, Italy is

1 Communication "Delivering the benefits of EU environmental policies

through a regular Environmental Implementation Review"

(COM/2016/

316 final).

2 Decision No. 1386/2013/EU of 20 November 2013 on a General Union

Environmental Action Programme to 2020 "Living

well, within the

limits of our planet".

3 United Nations, 2015.

The Sustainable Development Goals

4 This EIR report does not cover climate change, chemicals and energy.

Wellbeing, equal and sustainable

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Part I: Thematic Areas

1. Turning the EU into a circular, resource-efficient, green and

competitive low-carbon economy

Developing a circular economy and improving

resource efficiency

The 2015 Circular Economy Package emphasizes the need

to move towards a lifecycle-driven ‘circular’ economy,

with a cascading use of resources and residual waste that

is close to zero. This can be facilitated by the

development of, and access to, innovative financial

instruments and funding for eco-innovation.

SDG 8 invites countries to promote sustained, inclusive

and sustainable economic growth, full and productive

employment and decent work for all. SDG 9 highlights

the need to build resilient infrastructure, promote

inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster

innovation. SDG 12 encourages countries to achieve the

sustainable management and efficient use of natural

resources by 2030.

Industria 4.0

. The

Collegato Ambientale

adopted

28.12.15 foresees the adoption of a national plan on

sustainable consumption and production within one

year

. There is a National Plan on Food Waste since

2014, and a law to encourage the donation and

distribution of food products and reduce waste has been

recently adopted

In Milan there is a high-level of separate collection of

food waste (93 kg/inhab/yr)

recognised worldwide as a

best practice in a city with over 1 million population. This

has had a 'domino effect' in encouraging take up of

collection of food waste in surrounding municipalities.

A local initiative of circular economy is how industrial

waste from is being used in the Val di Cornia in Tuscany

(the

Rimateria

initiative

Figure 1: Resource productivity 2003-15

Measures towards the circular economy

Transforming our economies from linear to circular offers

an opportunity to reinvent them and make them more

sustainable and competitive. This will stimulate

investments and bring both short and long-term benefits

for the economy, environment and citizens alike

In terms of resource productivity

(how efficiently the

economy uses material resources to produce wealth),

Italy is performing better than average in the EU, with

3.04 EUR/kg (EU average is 2) in 2015.

Figure 1 shows

that Italy has had a small but steady increase of resource

productivity since 2005.

As yet there is no national policy for programming for a

circular economy. Nevertheless, the planned

Green Act

(mentioned in the 2015 and 2016 National Reform

Programmes) should facilitate the transition to a more

circular and resource efficient economy. Efforts are

starting-up to promote circular economy at the regional

level

.Furthermore the 2017 Budget Law (Legge

Stabilità

2017) is promoting circular economy through

Overall, 385,570 Italian companies invest in the green

economy and around 26.5% of Italian businesses can be

considered green. The Green businesses' rate of

innovation is double that of other businesses (22.2%

against 11.4%). Similarly, with regard to exports, green

businesses export almost double that of other

Ministry of Environment,

Press Release;

Budget Law 232,

11.12.16, Art.9

Collegato Ambientale

-Disposizioni in materia ambientale per

promuovere misure di green economy e per il contenimento dell'uso

eccessivo di risorse natura, Law n.221 of 28.12.2015, in force since

04.02.2016.

Disposizioni concernenti la donazione e la distribuzione di prodotti

alimentari e farmaceutici a fini di solidarieta' sociale e per la

limitazione degli sprechi,

Law n.166 of 19.08.2016

13 European Commission,

Brussels workshop 13.01.2016

Rimateria

15 Eurostat,

Resource productivity,

accessed October 2016

6 European Commission, 2015.

Proposed Circular Economy Package

7 Resource productivity is defined as the ratio between gross domestic

product (GDP) and domestic material consumption (DMC).

8 Eurostat,

Resource productivity,

accessed October 2016

9 For example the new EU co-financed

SCREEN

project (Synergic

Circular Economy across European regioNs (SCREEN), funded by the

Horizon 2020 programme involving Lazio and Lombardy.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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businesses

. The

States General of the Green Economy

has been promoted by the National Council of the Green

Economy, made up of 64 business organisations that

represent the green economy in Italy, in collaboration

with the Ministries of Environment and Economic

Development

. Furthermore, in 2016, the Italian Alliance

for Sustainable Development (ASviS) was created with

the objective of raising awareness on the Sustainable

Development Goals (SDGs)

According to a study by the European Commission, Italy

uses mainly voluntary agreements and initiatives, non-

legal standards for products and services, and supports

extended producer responsibility for materials and

products to foster resource efficiency.

There are some notable examples such as the Italian

Environmental Footprint Programme, launched by the

Ministry for the Environment. The programme concerns

the environmental footprint of goods/services (carbon

footprint and water footprint). The

Collegato Ambientale

establishes a wider use of Product Environmental

Footprinting (PEF) with the "Made Green in Italy"

scheme. Italy is by far the most active Member State in

using EMAS and it has the highest number of Eco-label

products in the EU.

Italy is characterised by low R&D investment levels, with

a 1.29% R&D intensity

(2.03% EU average), caused by

the scarcity of public funding instruments and of high

skilled human resources, and by the low share of high-

tech manufacturing activities. However, there is a high

patenting in the fields of water pollution abatement and

waste management, for which Italy shows elevated

export shares

Around 41% of Italy's SMEs have invested up to 5% of

annual turnover in their resource efficiency actions (EU28

average 50%), 15% are currently offering green products

and services (EU28 average 26%), 37% took measures to

save energy (EU28 average 59%), 59% to minimise waste

(EU28 average 60%), 25% to save water (EU28 average

44%), and 38% to save materials (EU28 average 54%)

From a circular economy perspective, 25% took measures

to recycle by reusing material or waste within the

company (EU28 average 40%), 10% to design products

that are easier to maintain, repair or reuse (EU28 average

22%) and 17% were able to sell their scrap material to

another company (EU28 average 25%).

The resource efficiency actions undertaken allowed the

reduction of production costs in 46% of the Italy's SMEs

(EU28 average 45%)

. This is highly relevant considering

the high number of SMEs in Italy (79.3% of private sector

jobs above the EU-28 average of 66.8%)

Around 30% of SMEs in Italy have one or more full time

employee working in a green job at least some of the

time (EU28 average 35%)

In 2014, Italy had five SME support programmes for

resource efficiency (e.g. Giada Project; Innovhub

Milano).

Furthermore, Italy was involved in the

European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) co-

financed PRESOURCE project, which provides several

tools and instruments to help promoting resource

efficiency in SMEs.

The transition to a resource efficient economy will result

in new jobs related to reuse, repair or recycling. In Italy,

117,000 new jobs could be created and 327,000 jobs

could be secured if SMEs in four sectors (food &

beverages; energy, power & utilities; environmental

technologies; construction) would fully use their

potential for resource efficiency. Indeed the cost savings

for these four SME sectors in Italy could amount to EUR

10.4 billion; this implies an average saving of EUR 19,000

per enterprise for just over 547,000 businesses in the

four sectors.

EFSI has financed an equity SMEs project

22 European Commission, 2015.

Flash 426 Eurobarometer

"SMEs,

resource efficiency and green markets"

23 Idem

European Commission, SMEs country sheets,

2016

25 The Flash 426 Eurobarometer "SMEs, resource efficiency and green

markets" defines "green job" as a job that directly deals with

information, technologies, or materials that preserves or restores

environmental quality. This requires specialised skills, knowledge,

training, or experience (e.g. verifying compliance with environmental

legislation, monitoring resource efficiency within the company,

promoting and selling green products and services).

26 RPA 2014,

Economic and Social Benefits of Environmental Protection

and Resource Efficiency Related to the European Semester,

study for

European Commission

PRESOURCE

28 RPA, 2015.

Assessing the Potential Cost Savings and Resource

Savings of Investments in 4 SME sectors,

study for European

Commission, p. 38 & 30

SMEs and Resource Efficiency

Innovative and export-oriented Small and Medium Sized

Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Italy's productive

system. In terms of value added and jobs, SMEs play a

more significant role in Italy than in most other EU

countries, but their productivity, measured as value

added per capita, is approximately 10 % below the EU

average. Furthermore, Italian SMEs perform below the

EU average in terms of their environmental performance,

suggesting that it needs to do more in terms of policy in

this area. The main challenges are related to the low level

of public support for SMEs taking part in the green

economy.

16 Symbola,

Press Release

States General

Italian Alliance for Sustainable Development

A framework for Member States to support business in improving its

resource efficiency,

2015, study for the European Commission

20 total R&D expenditures as a share of GDP

21 Osservatorio Innovazione e Tecnologia per la Green Economy,

Tecnologia

e Innovazione nella Green Economy Italiana – Rapporto

2015

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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in Italy promoting environmental sustainability. Other

EFSI

projects

under

consideration

are

also

environmentally friendly .

Over the 2014-20 programming period, the ERDF will

invest in R&I and SME competitiveness based on national

and regional smart specialisation strategies. For Italy, the

national strategy identifies 5 focus areas, including

energy, the environment and sustainable industry.

shortlisted as a 2016 REGIOSTAR finalist

Figure 2: Eco-Innovation Index 2015 (EU=100)

Eco-Innovation

The relative positioning of Italy based on the analysis of

the 2015 Eco-Innovation Scoreboard has improved and

moved up in the EU28 ranking from 12th to 10th place

(Figure 2). Social awareness with regard to needs and

opportunities in the context of sustainability and eco-

innovation has strongly grown over the recent years.

a highlight, it should be noted that the universal EXPO in

Milan 2015 on 'Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life'

showcased eco-innovation.

Barriers to eco-innovation and the circular economy in

Italy are of different natures: there are structural

barriers, such as those related to the economy and

technology, as well as barriers related to policy and

regulation. The availability of risk capital for both the

creation and continuation of eco-innovative projects

remains scarce. Italy’s general innovation capacity is

behind that of other European countries. Nevertheless,

there have been major developments in the area of

green technologies related to renewable energy

generation and non-fossil energy generation.

Research related to the implementation of new

management practices by firms, such as in Antonioli

, can provide a new understanding of the effects of

firms’ organisational changes on eco-innovation

adoption. Specifically, this study looked into whether

environmental strategies and human resources training

are integrated with the goal of fostering eco-innovation

adoption. Although they examined one of the most

competitive and densely industrialized regions of Italy

(Emilia Romagna), they did not find evidence of

complementarity between these strategies. A possible

explanation, the authors concluded, is that green

strategies are not yet fully embedded within the firms’

organisational strategies. Another example is Lombardy

recognized as having a high clustering of eco-industries

with their ERDF co-financed Open Innovation Platform

Cainelli

et al.

, studying incentives to adopt waste-

related innovation in the manufacturing sector, found

that regional factors related to both waste management

and policy, are relevant to the adoption of eco-

innovation. Moreover, they show that better regional

separated waste collection and stricter waste policy can

positively influence the likelihood of adopting eco-

innovation.

Suggested action



Integrate resource efficient and circular economy

principles within the SME sector, namely energy and

water savings, recycling methods, ecodesign

production and the establishment of secondary raw

material market.



Incentivise academia and schools in order to promote

circular economy innovation.



Step up the transition to a more circular and resource

efficient economy, including by adopting the

Green Act.

29EFSI

– Country Sheet Italy

Eco-Innovation Observatory,

p.12

Milan Expo

32 Antonioli, D., Mancinelli, S., & Mazzanti, M. (2013). Is environmental

innovation embedded within high-performance organisational

changes? The role of human resource management and

complementarity in green business strategies.

Research Policy,

42(4),

975-988.

European Cluster Observatory

34 European Commission,

2016 REGIOSTARS

finalists

Eco-innovation Observatory:

Eco-Innovation scoreboard 2015

36 Cainelli, G., D’Amato, A., & Mazzanti, M. (2015). Adoption of waste-

reducing technology in manufacturing: Regional factors and policy

issues.

Resource and Energy Economics,

39, 53-67

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Waste management

Turning waste into a resource requires:



Full implementation of Union waste legislation,

which includes the waste hierarchy; the need to

ensure separate collection of waste; the landfill

diversion targets etc.



Reducing per capita waste generation and waste

generation in absolute terms.



Limiting energy recovery to non-recyclable materials

and phasing out landfilling of recyclable or

recoverable waste.

SDG 12 invites countries to substantially reduce waste

generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and

reuse, by 2030.

The EU's approach to waste management is based on the

"waste hierarchy" which sets out an order of priority

when shaping waste policy and managing waste at the

operational level: prevention, (preparing for) reuse,

recycling, recovery and, as the least preferred option,

disposal (which includes landfilling and incineration

without energy recovery). The progress towards reaching

recycling targets and the adoption of adequate

WMP/WPP

should be the key items to measure the

performance of Member States. This section focuses on

management of municipal waste for which EU law sets

mandatory recycling targets.

Figure 3: Municipal waste by treatment in Italy 2007-

kg/y/inhabitant).

Figure 3 depicts the municipal waste by treatment in Italy

in terms of kg per capita, which shows an increase of

recycling and composting and a decrease in landfilling.

Figure 4: Recycling rate of municipal waste 2007-14

Figure 4 shows that in 2014 recycling of municipal waste,

including composting and material recycling, accounted

for 46% (although there are large differences between

regions), just above the EU average (44%) and slightly

below the EU 2020 target of 50% recycling

Landfilling of municipal waste accounted for 34%

compared to other treatment options (EU average 27%)

in 2014 and the amount of waste landfilled, and is

constantly decreasing since 2002, in favour of the other

treatment options that rank higher in the waste

hierarchy, including separate collection and recycling

Italy reported reaching its 2011 landfill target of 92

kg/inhabitant in 2014, and seems now to be on the path

towards fulfilment of the 2018 target of the landfill

directive. The Italian government is deploying steady

efforts to restore the irregular landfill sites for some of

which Italy has been subjected to financial penalties by

the EU Court of Justice in 2014.

Waste policies are implemented at regional, provincial

and municipal levels under national umbrellas. Despite

overall progress in separate collection and recycling, the

differences in performance at the local level can be high.

Excellences are common in the north of the country and

in some contexts also in the centre and south (Campania-

40 Eurostat,

Recycling rate of municipal waste,

accessed October 2016

41 Member States may choose a different method than the one used by

Eurostat (and referred to in this report) to calculate their recycling

rates and track compliance with the 2020 target of 50% recycling of

municipal waste.

42 Italy has introduced measures to increase separated collection and

recycling since 1997.

Municipal waste generation

has been decreasing in the

last years in Italy and it is slightly above the EU average

(488 kg/y/inhabitant in Italy compared to 475

37 Waste Management Plans/Waste Prevention Programmes

38 Eurostat,

Municipal waste and treatment, by type of treatment

method,

accessed October 2016

39 Municipal waste consists of waste collected by or on behalf of

municipal authorities, or directly by the private sector (business or

private non-profit institutions) not on behalf of municipalities.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Province of Benevento 68.9% & Sardinia – Province of

Medio Campidano 66.6% separate collection

However, in general the centre and south of the Country

perform less well in waste management than the north.

The reasons for the disparities are principally due to the

late industrialization of the southern regions, difficulties

with administrative capacity and an economic imbalance

between the municipalities which implement the

separate collection. Nevertheless it would be worth

exploring further the underlying causes to be able to find

the most efficient solutions. Italy has been subjected to

sanctions by the EU Court of Justice for poor waste

management in Campania region, which culminated in

the waste crisis of 2007; since then, the separate

collection in the region is steadily improving, as well as

recycling.

Another factor influencing the differing geographical

performance is the variable waste and landfill gate fees

applied in the regions

. Some regions have also

introduced special measures aimed at fostering separate

collection or recycling operations. In the Marche region,

for example, the landfill tax to be paid by municipalities is

progressively reduced depending on the rate by which

the national separate collection targets are exceeded. In

Emilia-Romagna, which in 2010 reached 19% organic

recycling of total municipal waste production, in order to

promote the use of compost, farmers receive subsidies of

EUR 150–180 per hectare

In order to support Italy in bridging the implementation

gap, the Commission has delivered a roadmap

for

compliance, in which economic instruments play a key

role. For the regions in need of relevant infrastructure,

waste management has been subject to Action Plans for

the

ex-ante

conditionality for waste to streamline

financing from the ERDF between 2014-20. In addition,

EFSI is being used to improve environmental

infrastructure for waste

. ERDF investments in 2014-20

for waste are only aimed at the activities at the top of the

hierarchy hence excluding landfilling and incineration.

The share of incineration compared to other treatment

options for municipal waste was 21% in 2014

Furthermore, the government was mandated to assess

the needs for incineration of municipal solid waste at

national level

and consequently a recent Decree

43 ISPRA

Rapporto Rifiuti Urbani

Edizione 2015, p.57

44 Mazzanti M and Montini A (2014), Waste management beyond the

Italian north-south divide: spatial analyses of geographical, economic

and institutional dimensions, in

Handbook on waste management

Kinnaman & K. Takeuchi eds. (E. Elgar).

45 European Environment Agency 2016,

Municipal Waste Management

Country Fact Sheet,

p.19

European Commission roadmap

47 EFSI –

Aimag Settore Idrico e Ambiente

48 Eurostat,

Municipal waste and treatment, by type of treatment

method,

accessed October 2016

Decree Law N° 133

of 12.09.2014

provides a picture of the existing and needed incineration

capacity region by region taking into account,

inter alia,

the foreseen reduction of waste production, and the

future increase of separate collection in line with the

national legal obligation (65%)

With a 65.9% of packaging waste being recycled, Italy has

reached the 2008 target of 55%

. Recovery and recycling

of packaging waste are constantly increasing since year

2000. A Decree has been adopted in 2016 on measures

to create an adequate integrated system for the organic

fraction of organic waste

. It is estimated by CIC

that

EUR 20 million/year is saved through biowaste

contributing to the circular economy.

According to a study

, moving towards the targets in the

Roadmap on resource efficiency

, could create over

83,400 additional jobs and an increase in the annual

turnover of the waste sector by over EUR 8.8 billion.

Separate collection and recycling are constantly growing

all over the national territory as shown in Figure 5

Figure 5: Regional separate collection rates

For packaging waste, Italy applies Extended Producer

Responsibility (EPR) by means of the national

organisation CONAI. Different consortia have been

established for paper, glass, plastic, etc.. The system

covers a large part of the recycling in Italy, achieving

increased volumes of recycled packaging every year.

During 2016 a reform should be introduced to move from

taxes to tariffs in the waste sector

Regarding waste prevention, since 2013 Italy has adopted

Decree DPCM

10.08.2016

51 ISPRA

Rapporto Rifiuti Urbani

Edizione 2015

Decree DCPM

07.03.2016

53 Consorzio Italiano Compostatori, presentation, Waste Directors,

Brussels, 26.10.2016

54 Bio Intelligence service, 2011.

Implementing EU Waste legislation for

Green Growth,

study for the European Commission

55 The

Roadmap

outlines how we can transform Europe's economy into

a sustainable one by 2050.

56 ISPRA

Rapporto Rifiuti Urbani

Edizione 2015, p.36

57 Programma Nazionale di Riforma 2016, April 2016, p.58

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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the National Waste Prevention Programme. On the basis

of this National Programme, each Region has adopted

regional prevention plans that,

inter alia,

include

measures to increase the use of green public

procurement and the reuse. A specific Fund for project

financing for waste prevention and waste reduction has

been established, with EUR 513,475 assigned in 2014 to

selected projects.

Suggested action



Introduce a national landfill tax or harmonise the

regional taxes to phase-out landfilling of recyclable and

recoverable waste. Use the revenues to support the

separate collection and alternative infrastructure but

avoid building excessive infrastructure for the

treatment of residual waste. Improve co-operation

between regions to use waste treatment capacity more

efficiently.



Focus on improving the effectiveness of the separate

collection to increase recycling rates in the regions that

are lagging behind.



Extend and improve the cost-effectiveness, monitoring

and transparency of existing EPR schemes.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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2. Protecting, conserving and enhancing natural capital

Nature and Biodiversity

The EU Biodiversity Strategy aims to halt the loss of

biodiversity in the EU by 2020, restore ecosystems and

their services in so far as feasible, and step up efforts to

avert global biodiversity loss. The EU Birds and Habitats

Directives aim at achieving favourable conservation

status of protected species and habitats.

SDG 14 requires countries to conserve and sustainably

use the oceans, seas and marine resources, while SDG 15

requires countries to protect, restore and promote the

sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably

manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and

reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.

The 1992 EU Habitats Directive and the 1979 Birds

Directive are the cornerstone of the European legislation

aimed at the conservation of the EU's wildlife. Natura

2000, the largest coordinated network of protected areas

in the world, is the key instrument to achieve and

implement the Directives' objectives to ensure the long-

term protection, conservation and survival of Europe's

most valuable and threatened species and habitats and

the ecosystems they underpin.

The adequate designation of protected sites as Special

Ares of Conservation (SAC) under the Habitats Directive

and as Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the Birds

Directive is a key milestone towards meeting the

objectives of the Directives. The results of Habitats

Directive Article 17 and Birds Directive Article 12 reports

and the progress towards adequate Sites of Community

Importance (SCI)-SPA and SAC designation

both in land

and at sea, should be the key items to measure the

performance of Member States.

In Italy 2585 sites have been designated under the

Habitats and the Birds Directives. By early 2016, 18.97%

of the national land area of Italy was covered by Natura

2000 (EU average 18.1%), with Birds Directive SPAs

covering 13.31% (EU average 12.3%) and Habitats

Directive SCIs covering 14.21% (EU average 13.8%). By

2012 Italy designated 523 marine Natura 2000 sites that

covered 6608.1 km². Italy also had 88 nationally

designated Marine Protected Areas covering 26644.9 km²

which showed an 11.1% overlap with the Natura 2000

sites. By the end of 2014 Italy's marine Natura 2000

designations covered 6721 km², showing a slight increase

from 2012. Nevertheless, the latest assessment of the

SCIs part of the Natura 2000 network shows that there

58 Sites of Community Importance (SCIs) are designated pursuant to

the Habitats Directive whereas Special Areas of Protection (SPAs) are

designated pursuant to the Birds Directive; figures of coverage do

not add up due to the fact that some SCIs and SPAs overlap. Special

Areas of Conservation (SACs) means a SCI designated by the Member

States.

are insufficiencies in designation for the marine

components of the network

(see Figure 6

Figure 6: Sufficiency assessment of SCI networks in Italy

based on the situation until December 2013

Although the 6-year deadline established by the Habitats

Directive to designate SACs and establish appropriate

conservation objectives and measures has expired for

2281 SCIs, as in May 2016 Italy had completed the SAC

designation and related obligations only for 578 SCIs.

There are a high number of complaints regarding the

implementation of the Nature Directives on degradation

of designated sites, asserted bad quality of Appropriate

Assessments under Article 6(3) Habitats Directive, and

poor species protection. The experience of the

Commission in evaluating the ERDF Operational

Programmes 2014-20 is that the appropriate assessments

were of widely varying quality. This has negative impacts

on nature but also on business and legal certainty.

According to the latest report on the conservation status

of habitats and species covered by the Habitats Directive

59 For each Member State, the Commission assesses whether the

species and habitat types on Annexes I and II of the Habitats

Directive, are sufficiently represented by the sites designated to

date. This is expressed as a percentage of species and habitats for

which further areas need to be designated in order to complete the

network in that country.

The current data,

which were accessed in

2014-15, reflect the situation up until December 2013.

The percentages in Figure 5 refer to percentages of the total

number of assessments (one assessment covering 1 species or 1

habitat in a given biographical region with the Member State); if a

habitat type or a species occurs in more than 1 Biogeographic region

within a given Member State, there will be as many individual

assessments as there are Biogeographic regions with an occurrence

of that species or habitat in this Member State.

61 European Commission, internal assessment.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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(covering the period 2007-12)

, only 34% of the

assessments for plant species and 44% for animal species

indicate a favourable conservation status

. For habitat

types the percentage of assessments showing a

favourable conservation status is only 22% (EU 27: 16 %),

while 40% (EU 27: 47%) are considered to be

unfavourable–inadequate and 27% are see unfavourable

– bad (EU 27: 30%). This is depicted in Figure 7

Figure 7: Conservation status of habitats and species in

Italy in 2007/2013 (%)

conservation measures is particularly low (see section 4).

This could be improved by administrative capacity

building. A recently adopted LIFE Integrated Project

(GESTIRE 2020) creates an integrated management

structure for achieving conservation objective for the

Lombardy Natura 2000 regional network. The project

aims to update the Lombardy Prioritised Action

Framework (PAF) in the following ways: coordinate

management; integrate regional policies; train personnel

working; raise public awareness; and plan interventions

to conserve biodiversity, such as enhancing connectivity

and tackling invasive alien species.

Figure 8: Short-term population trend of breeding and

wintering bird species in Italy in 2012 (%)

For birds, Figure 8 demonstrates that 42% of the

breeding species showed short-term increasing or stable

population trends (for wintering species this figure was

73%).

The lack of adequate resources to support appropriate

land management and conservation measures is

acknowledged as a major obstacle to achieve the

objectives of the Nature Directives. In 2007-13 the

disbursement from ERDF and EAFRD

for nature

62 The core of the ‘Article 17’ report is the assessment of conservation

status of the habitats and species targeted by the Habitats Directive.

63 Conservation status is assessed using a standard methodology as

being either ‘favourable’, ‘unfavourable-inadequate’ and

‘unfavourable-bad’, based on four parameters as defined in Article 1

of the Habitats Directive.

64 Please note that a direct comparison between 2007 and 2013 data is

complicated by the fact that Bulgaria and Romania were not covered

by the 2007 reporting cycle, that the ‘unknown’ assessments have

strongly diminished particularly for species, and that some reported

changes are not genuine as they result from improved data /

monitoring methods.

65 These figures show the percentage of biogeographical assessments

in each category of conservation status for habitats and species (one

assessment covering 1 species or 1 habitat in a given biographical

region with the Member State), respectively. The information is

based on Article 17 of the Habitats Directive reporting -

national

summary of Italy

66 European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development

Persistent data gaps exist for the forestry sector: data on

annual wood removals have not been reported to the

'Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire' for several years. This

makes it difficult to ascertain whether forest harvesting

rates are within the limits of Sustainable Forest

Management. No information is available on the share of

forest area under management plan or equivalent (no

figures for the 2010 reporting period).

Suggested action



Complete the Natura 2000 designation process and put

in place clearly defined conservation objectives and the

necessary conservation measures for the sites and

provide adequate resources for their implementation

in order to maintain/restore species and habitats of

community interest to a favourable conservation status

across their natural range.



Develop and promote smart and streamlined

implementation approaches, in particular as regards

site and species permitting procedures, ensuring the

necessary knowledge and data availability. Strengthen

communication with stakeholders.

GESTIRE 2020 LIFE integrated project

68 Article 12 of the Birds Directive reporting -

national summary of Italy

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

Build capacity for completion and implementation of

Management Plans, as well as for improving the overall

quality of appropriate assessments.



Use the available funds, namely ERDF and EAFRD, to

implement

well-designed

nature

conservation

measures.

Green infrastructure

The EU strategy on green infrastructure

promotes the

incorporation of green infrastructure into related plans

and programmes to help overcome fragmentation of

habitats and preserve or restore ecological connectivity,

enhance ecosystem resilience and thereby ensure the

continued provision of ecosystem services.

Green Infrastructure provides ecological, economic and

social benefits through natural solutions. It helps to

understand the value of the benefits that nature provides

to human society and to mobilise investments to sustain

and enhance them.

Italy considers that Green Infrastructure implementation

should start with protected areas, which are crucial to

conserve natural capital, implement sustainable tourism

and use traditional forms of agriculture and industry. The

Ministry of the Environment responsible for

implementing the Green Infrastructure Strategy has

commissioned the development of: a methodological

framework for identifying ecosystem restoration

priorities and promoting Green Infrastructure; a

restoration project on freshwater ecosystems; and two

pilots for the urban/peri-urban Rome Metropolitan Area.

Improving connections between natural and cultural

capital was also underlined by the Charter of Rome.

The importance of the linkages between culture and

nature that is a central feature of Italian policy is

exemplified by the

Corona Verde

project in the region of

Piedmont. The project which involves 93 municipalities is

designed to develop Green Infrastructure integrating the

Corona di Delitie

system of royal residences within the

Turin green-belt. The

Corona Verde

project will provide a

wide range of benefits e.g. protection against soil

erosion, enhancement of tourism and the reduction of

atmospheric pollution. Another example, is the

EcoSistema Filtro a constructed wetland in Sardinia (&

Natura 2000 site), built in 2004 to filter treated water

Italy is currently involved in the EU co-financed Green

Surge project

, and some Regions use ERDF and EAFRD

to increase green infrastructure and wildlife corridors.

Estimating Natural Capital

The EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 calls on the Member

States to map and asses the state of ecosystems and

their services

in their national territory by 2014, assess

the economic value of such services, and promote the

integration of these values into accounting and reporting

systems at EU and national level by 2020.

The four steps of the Mapping and Assessment of

Ecosystems and Their Services (MAES) process are: 1)

map ecosystems; 2) assess the condition of ecosystems;

3) assess the ecosystem services; and 4) make an

integrated ecosystem assessment based on these data.

Italy is currently in the third phase of the process. The

Ministry of the Environment has provided financial

support to universities and scientific societies for the

implementation of MAES. Italy is also very involved in the

assessment of cultural services and urban ecosystems.

Italy has shown a high interest in natural capital

accounting. The Ministry of the Environment has set up a

natural capital committee and launched an

environmental accounting project for protected areas in

Italy which should provide a framework for pursuing a

natural capital accounting process at the national level.

As part of the implementation of the

Collegato

Ambientale,

a decree should have been issued in 2016 on

estimating ecosystem and environmental capital

Suggested action



Provide resources for the mapping and assessment of

ecosystem services, their valuation and integration into

natural capital accounting systems.

Soil protection

The EU Soil Thematic Strategy highlights the need to

ensure a sustainable use of soils. This requires the

prevention of further soil degradation and the

preservation of its functions, as well as the restoration of

degraded soils. The 2011 Road Map for Resource-

Efficient Europe, part of Europe 2020 Strategy provides

that by 2020, EU policies take into account their direct

72 European Union, Green Infrastructure — Enhancing Europe’s Natural

Capital,

COM/2013/0249

73 Ministry of Environment,

Carta di Roma

EcoSistema Filtro

Green Surge case studies Milan & Bari

69 Ecosystem services are benefits provided by nature such as food,

clean water and pollination on which human society depends.

70 Programma Nazionale di Riforma 2016, April 2016, p.58

71 Ministry of Environment,

Collegato Ambientale

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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and indirect impact on land use in the EU and globally,

and the rate of land take is on track with an aim to

achieve no net land take by 2050.

SDG 15 requires countries to combat desertification,

restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by

desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve

a land-degradation-neutral world by 2030.

Soil is an important resource for life and the economy. It

provides key ecosystem services including the provision

of food, fibre and biomass for renewable energy, carbon

sequestration, water purification and flood regulation,

the provision of raw and building material. Soil is a finite

and extremely fragile resource and increasingly

degrading in the EU. Land taken by urban development

and infrastructure is highly unlikely to be reverted to its

natural state; it consumes mostly agricultural land and

increases fragmentation of habitats. Soil protection is

indirectly addressed in existing EU policies in areas such

as agriculture, water, waste, chemicals, and prevention

of industrial pollution.

There are still not EU-wide datasets enabling the

provision of benchmark indicators for soil organic matter

decline, contaminated sites, pressures on soil biology and

diffuse pollution. An updated inventory and assessment

of soil protection policy instruments in Italy and other EU

Member States is being performed by the EU Expert

Group on Soil Protection.

The main soil degradation processes occurring in Italy

are: erosion/disaggregation, compaction, salinization,

contamination, landslides, biodiversity decline/loss, soil

consumption/sealing, & decline/loss of organic matter.

Artificial land cover is used for settlements, production

systems and infrastructure. It may itself be split between

built-up areas (buildings) and non-built-up areas (such as

linear transport networks and associated areas). Figure 9

shows the different land cover types in Italy in 2012.

With a mean annual land take rate

of 0.37% (driven by

urban sprawl and infrastructures) over the period 2006-

12, the speed of urban development in Italy is just below

the EU average (0.41%), representing 5786 hectares per

year. Soil-sealing over wide areas, due to excessive

urban development, has significantly increased

hydrogeological risk. In terms of the percentage of built

up land, Italy ranked the 4

highest in the EU with

around 2.7% in 2012

. The soil sealing has increased the

vulnerability to landslides and flooding in several areas,

which translates into an increased intensity and

frequency of flood events and related damages. This

problem is exacerbated by low soil organic matter in

In Italy there is a growing awareness of the importance of

soil protection both at, political and scientific level. For

example, it is participating in the UNCCD

pilot project

on target and indicators of Land Degradation Neutrality.

Relevant legislative instruments for soil protection are

approved at national level or indirectly through the

transposition of EU law. Furthermore, many soil

protection measures in Italy are included in policy

instruments that are not directly connected to the

protection of soil. In 2016 the Italian Parliament

discussed a Decree Law on the containment of the loss of

land and reuse of soil built on

. Furthermore, Italy has a

zero objective for soil consumption by 2050 as required

by the Resource Efficient Europe Roadmap. As regards

soil contamination, Italy has identified under a 1998 law

a number of contaminated sites (SIN) which require

priority remediation. It is important that the

management of these sites respects EU waste legislation.

many regions. Indeed Italy has an average soil water

erosion rate (8.4 tonnes per ha per year in 2010), which is

well above the EU average (2.4 tonnes per ha per year).

Figure 9: Land Cover types in Italy 2012

76 European Environment Agency

Draft results of CORINE Land Cover

(CLC) inventory 2012

; mean annual land take 2006-12 as a % of 2006

artificial land.

77 Eurostat,

Built up Areas,

accessed June 2016

78 Eurostat,

Soil water erosion rate,

Figure 2, accessed November 2016

79 European Environment Agency, Land cover 2012 and changes

country analysis [publication forthcoming]

80 UN Convention to Combat Desertification

81 Ministry of Environment –

Press Release

12.05.16

82 Law 426/1998 has identified the so-called Siti di Interesse Nazionale

(SIN), i.e. highly polluted sites in Italy which need to be

decontaminated. For example, the industrial area of Taranto, which

comprises the ILVA steel plant, has been included in the list of SIN.

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The EAFRD should help to enhance soil organic matter

and reduce soil erosion, while the ERDF will support the

rehabilitation of industrial sites and contaminated land.

from land-based sources, such as discharges of excess

nutrients and hazardous substances, marine litter, over-

fishing, and degradation of critical habitats.

In 2012, Italy has determined GES for all the descriptors

listed in the MSFD. However, the Commission's

assessment found that some GES definitions are to be

developed. In particular, the GES definitions for marine

litter and underwater noise were found to be below the

minimum requirement or lack specification/ambition.

Italy established a monitoring programme of its marine

waters in 2014. The monitoring programmes for all

descriptors apart from hydrographical changes and

marine litter need further refinement and development

to constitute an appropriate framework to monitor

progress towards GES status and targets. In addition, Italy

reported that most of its monitoring programme will only

be adequate to measure progress towards GES by 2018,

the date by which the next assessment of their waters is

due. In its reports on the implementation of the MSFD

the Commission provided guidance to assist Italy. Italy is

involved in various EU supported research projects

The new National Plan on Ports includes activities for

recovery and preservation of the seabed and starting up

monitoring programmes of protected sites near ports

Marine protection

The EU Coastal and Marine Policy and legislation require

that by 2020 the impact of pressures on marine waters is

reduced to achieve or maintain good environmental

status and coastal zones are managed sustainably.

SDG 14 requires countries to conserve and sustainably

use the oceans, seas and marine resources for

sustainable development.

The Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD)

aims

to achieve Good Environmental Status (GES) of the EU's

marine waters by 2020 by providing an ecosystem

approach to the management of human activities with

impact on the marine environment. The Directive

requires Member States to develop and implement a

strategy for their marine waters, and cooperate with

Member States sharing the same region or subregion.

As part of their marine strategies, Member States had to

make an initial assessment of their marine waters,

determine GES

and establish environmental targets by

July 2012. They also had to establish monitoring

programmes for the on-going assessment of their marine

waters by July 2014. The next element of their marine

strategy is to establish a Programme of Measures (2016).

The Commission assesses whether these elements

constitute an appropriate framework to meet the

requirements of the MSFD.

In 2012, Italian marine protected areas covered 30366.9

square kilometres of its marine waters in the

Mediterranean Sea

. Italy has also one of the longest

coastlines in the EU. Italy’s marine waters are part of the

marine region of the Mediterranean Sea and cover the

sub-regions of the Adriatic Sea, the Ionian Sea and the

Central Mediterranean Sea and the Western

Mediterranean Sea. Italy is party to the Barcelona

Convention. The Mediterranean Sea region has been

identified by the EEA in its 2015 State of the Environment

report as one of the areas most responsive to climate

change due to water scarcity, concentration of economic

activities in coastal areas, and reliance on climate-

sensitive agriculture. The introduction of invasive alien

species presents an important threat in the

Mediterranean Sea region with the number of invasive

alien species increasing significantly since 1970. Finally,

the unique biodiversity is also threatened by pollution

83 European Union,

Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC

84 The MSFD defines Good Environmental Status (GES) in Article 3 as:

“The environmental status of marine waters where these provide

ecologically diverse and dynamic oceans and seas which are clean,

healthy and productive”

85 2012 Data provided by the European Environmental Agency – not

published

Suggested action



Continue work to improve the definitions of GES,

including through regional cooperation by using the

work of the relevant Regional Sea Convention.



Further develop approaches assessing

(and

quantifying) impacts from the main pressures in order

to lead to improved and more conclusive assessment

results for 2018 reporting.



Continue to integrate existing monitoring programmes

required under other EU legislation and to implement

other joint monitoring programmes, where they exist,

developed at (sub)regional level, for instance by the

Barcelona Convention.



Enhance comparability and consistency of monitoring

methods within Italy's marine region and address

knowledge gaps.



Ensure that all of its monitoring programme is

implemented without delay, and is appropriate to

monitor progress towards the GES.

86 Report from the Commission "The first phase of implementation of

the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC) - The

European Commission's assessment and guidance"

COM(2014)097

Commission Staff Working Document Accompanying the Commission

Report assessing Member States' monitoring programmes under the

Marine Strategy Framework Directive (COM(2017)3 and SWD(2017)1

final)

87 RTD project:

KNOWSEAS; MYOCEAN; VECTORS; HERMIONE;

CORALFISH; PERSEUS

Piano Strategico Nazionale della Portualità e della Logistica

p.189

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3. Ensuring citizens' health and quality of life

Air quality

The EU Clean Air Policy and legislation require that air

quality in the Union is significantly improved, moving

closer to the WHO recommended levels. Air pollution

and its impacts on ecosystems and biodiversity should be

further reduced with the long-term aim of not exceeding

critical loads and levels. This requires strengthening

efforts to reach full compliance with Union air quality

legislation and defining strategic targets and actions

beyond 2020.

The EU has developed a comprehensive suite of air

quality legislation

, which establishes health-based

standards and objectives for a number of air pollutants.

As part of this, Member States are also required to

ensure that up-to-date information on ambient

the currently applicable national emission ceilings

At the same time, air quality in Italy continues to give

cause for concern. For the year 2013 in Italy, the

European Environment Agency estimated that about 66

630 premature deaths were attributable to fine

particulate matter concentrations

, 3 380 to ozone

concentration

and 21 040 to nitrogen dioxide

concentrations

94,95

.This is due also to exceedances above

the EU air quality standards, such as shown in Figure 10

These problems became an extreme concern in

November-December of 2015 with particulate matter

levels well above the EU daily limit values in Milan, Rome

and Naples leading to the closing of these cities to traffic.

On the 30 December 2015, the Environment Ministry,

Regions and Municipalities signed an anti-smog protocol,

Figure 10: Attainment situation for PM10, NO2 and O3 in 2014

concentrations of different air pollutants is routinely

made available to the public. In addition, the National

Emission Ceilings Directive provides for emission

reductions at national level that should be achieved for

main pollutants.

The emission of several air pollutants has decreased

significantly in Italy

. Reductions between 1990 and

2014 for sulphur oxides (-93%), nitrogen oxides (-61%),

ammonia (-17%) as well as volatile organic compounds (-

57%) ensure air emissions for these pollutants are within

89 European Commission, 2016.

Air Quality Standards

90 See

EIONET Central Data Repository

and

Air pollutant emissions data

viewer (NEC Directive)

91The current national emission ceilings apply since 2010 (Directive

2001/81/EC);

revised ceilings for 2020 and 2030 have been set by

Directive (EU) 2016/2284

on the reduction of national emissions of

certain atmospheric pollutants, amending Directive 2003/35/EC and

repealing Directive 2001/81/EC.

92 Particulate matter (PM) is a mixture of aerosol particles (solid and

liquid) covering a wide range of sizes and chemical compositions.

PM10 (PM2.5) refers to particles with a diameter of 10 (2.5)

micrometres or less. PM is emitted from many human sources,

including combustion.

93 Low level ozone is produced by photochemical action on pollution

and it is also a greenhouse gas

94 NOx is emitted during fuel combustion e.g. from industrial facilities

and the road transport sector. NOx is a group of gases comprising

nitrogen monoxide (NO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

95 European Environment Agency, 2016.

Air Quality in Europe – 2016

Report.

(Table 10.2, p.60, please see details in this report as regards

the underpinning methodology)

96 Based on European Environment Agency, 2016.

Air Quality in Europe

– 2016 Report.

(Figures 4.1, 5.1 and 6.1)

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and in 2016 a specific agreement was made for Bologna

under this protocol

In 2013, Italy had over 60% of the urban population

resident in areas exposed to PM10 concentrations over

the daily limit value (50 µg/m3 on more than 35 days in a

year), substantially worse than the EU average of

16.3%

. An emerging issue in Italy is high PM emissions

associated with the increasing use of fuelwood in small-

scale combustion units. Furthermore, for several air

quality zones the long-term objectives regarding ozone

concentration are not being met

The persistent breaches of air quality requirements (for

and NO

), which have severe negative effects on

health and environment, are being followed up by the

European Commission through infringement procedures

covering all the Member States concerned, including

Italy. The aim is that adequate measures are put in place

to bring all zones into compliance.

It is estimated that the health-related external costs from

air pollution are above EUR 47 billion/year (income

adjusted, 2010), which include not only the intrinsic value

of living a full healthy life but also direct costs to the

economy. These direct economic costs relate to 17

million workdays lost each year due to sickness related to

air pollution, with associated costs for employers of EUR

2400 million/year (income adjusted, 2010), for

healthcare of above EUR 185 million/year (income

adjusted, 2010), and for agriculture (crop losses) of EUR

418 million/year (2010)

100

Licenses are issued at regional and state level through a

so called integrated environmental authorization (AIA).

However evidence shows that the implementation of the

conditions prescribed in the AIAs is not always

satisfactory and requires the intervention of the central

authorities and/or the European Commission such as

illustrated by the ILVA Taranto case.

concentrations), inter alia, by reducing transport

related emissions - in particular in urban areas.



Reduce PM

emission and concentration, inter alia, by

reducing emissions related to energy and heat

generation using solid fuels, to transport and to

agriculture.

Noise

The Environmental Noise Directive provides for a

common approach for the avoidance, prevention and

reduction of harmful effects due to exposure to

environmental noise.

Excessive noise is one of the main causes of health

issues

102

. To alleviate this, the EU

acquis

sets out several

requirements, including assessing the exposure to

environmental noise through noise mapping, ensuring

that information on environmental noise and its effects is

made available to the public, and adopting action plans

with a view to preventing and reducing environmental

noise where necessary and to preserving the acoustic

environment quality where it is good.

Italy's implementation of the Environmental Noise

Directive is significantly delayed. The noise mapping

103

for the most recent reporting round, for the reference

year 2011, is only 62% complete for agglomerations, 50%

for major airports, and only partially completed for major

roads and major railways. Action Plans for noise

management in the current period have been adopted

for only 3% of agglomerations, and are missing for all of

major airports, major roads and major railways.

Suggested action



Complete missing noise action plans and maps

Suggested action



Maintain downward emissions trends of air pollutants

in order to achieve full compliance with air quality limit

values - and reduce adverse air pollution impacts on

health, environment and economy.



Reduce nitrogen oxide (NO

) emissions to comply with

currently applicable national emission ceilings

101

and/or to reduce nitrogen dioxide (NO

) (and ozone

Ministry of Environment

– Press Release 01.06.16

98 Eurostat,

Safeguarding Clean Air,

accessed June 2106

99 See

The EEA/Eionet Air Quality Portal

and the related Central Data

Repository

100 These figures are based on the

Impact Assessment

for the

European Commission Integrated Clean Air Package, 2013

101 Under the provisions of the revised National Emission Ceilings

Directive, Member States now may apply for emission inventory

adjustments. Pending evaluation of any adjustment application,

Member States should keep emissions under close control with a

view to further reductions.

Water quality and management

The EU water policy and legislation require that the

impact of pressures on transitional, coastal and fresh

waters (including surface and ground waters) is

significantly reduced to achieve, maintain or enhance

good status of water bodies, as defined by the Water

Framework Directive; that citizens throughout the Union

benefit from high standards for safe drinking and bathing

water; and that the nutrient cycle (nitrogen and

phosphorus) is managed in a more sustainable and

resource-efficient way.

102 WHO/JRC, 2011, Burden of disease from environmental noise,

Fritschi, L., Brown, A.L., Kim, R., Schwela, D., Kephalopoulos, S. (eds),

World Health Organization, Regional Office for Europe,

Copenhagen,

Denmark

103 The Noise Directive requires Member States to prepare and

publish, every 5 years, noise maps and noise management action

plans for agglomerations with more than 100,000 inhabitants, and

for major roads, railways and airports.

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SDG 6 encourages countries to ensure availability and

sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

The main overall objective of EU water policy and

legislation is to ensure access to good quality water in

sufficient quantity for all Europeans. The EU water

acquis

104

seeks to ensure good status of all water bodies

across Europe by addressing pollution sources (from e.g.

agriculture, urban areas and industrial activities), physical

and hydrological modifications to water bodies) and the

management of risks of flooding.

Italy is a water-stressed country. Most of the water

abstracted in Italy is for consumptive uses especially

irrigation.

105

Water scarcity and drought risk are typical of

southern regions. In the North, in contrast, where water

resources have been physically abundant, climate change

effects together with water withdrawal levels have

recently giving rise to water scarcity concerns.

River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs) are a

requirement of the Water Framework Directive and a

means of achieving the protection, improvement and

sustainable use of the water environment across Europe.

This includes surface freshwaters such as lakes and rivers,

groundwater, estuaries and coastal waters up to one

nautical mile.

According to the Italian authorities, the second

generation of RBMPs provide an improved monitoring

system and the programs of measures reflect better the

pressures on the water bodies. However, as the

Commission has not yet been able to validate this

information for all Member States it is not reported here.

In its first generation of RBMPs Italy reported the status

of 7644 rivers, 38 lakes, 181 transitional, 489 coastal and

733 groundwater bodies. Only 29% of natural surface

water bodies achieve a good or high ecological status

106

(while the status of 56% is unknown) and 16% of heavily

modified or artificial water bodies achieve a good or high

ecological potential (44% unknown). Only 18% of surface

water bodies (79% unknown), 21% of heavily modified

and artificial water bodies

107

(66% unknown) and 49% of

groundwater bodies (25% unknown) achieve good

chemical status

108

. In addition, 53% of groundwater

bodies (32% unknown) are in good quantitative status

109

The main pressure on Italian waters comes from diffuse

sources that affect 38% of surface water bodies

110

. The

latest data show that 26% of water bodies are affected

by point sources, 16% by water abstraction and 8% by

flow regulation. Italian waters are affected by a broad

range of economic activities. These include: industry,

both abstractions and point source pollution; agriculture,

point and diffuse source pollution from livestock raising,

as well as abstractions and diffuse source pollution for

crops; coastal works and recreation, affecting transition

and coastal waters. An example is the sub-basin of the

Ticino River – water bodies are affected by 25 different

types of pressures, from urban wastewater discharges to

abstractions to engineering works.

Significant differences in terms of pressures are seen

across the country, for example, diffuse sources from

agriculture are a significant pressure for more than half

of the surface water bodies in Northern Apennines (55%

of water bodies), Serchio (71%) and Sicily (53%) river

basin districts but much less in Sardinia (27%) or the

Eastern Alps (29%). Water abstraction is an important

pressure in Southern Apennines (28% of water bodies

affected) and Northern Apennines (24%) compared to

Eastern Alps, Sardinia and Sicily (all less than 10% of

water bodies affected).

The latest data show that 99%

111

of large drinking water

supplies reach minimum standards. However, punctual

drinking water problems exist (arsenic and fluoride in

Lazio).

As shown in Figure 11, in 2015, in Italy out of 5518

bathing waters, 90.5 % were of excellent quality, 4.9% of

good quality and 1.9 % of sufficient quality. 95 bathing

waters were of poor quality or non-compliant while it

was not possible to assess the remaining 55 bathing

waters

112

104 This includes the

Bathing Waters Directive (2006/7/EC);

the

Urban

Waste Water Treatment Directive (91/271/EEC)

concerning

discharges of municipal and some industrial waste waters; the

Drinking Water Directive (98/83/EC)

concerning potable water

quality; the

Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC)

concerning

water resources management; the

Nitrates Directive (91/676/EEC)

and the

Floods Directive (2007/60/EC)

105 European Commission, 2016.

EU Resource Efficiency Scoreboard

2015

106 Good ecological status is defined in the Water Framework

Directive, referring to the quality of the biological community, the

hydrological characteristics and the chemical characteristics.

107 Many European river basins and waters have been altered by

human activities, such as land drainage, dredging, flood protection

and, building of dams.

108 Good chemical status is defined in the Water Framework Directive

referring to compliance with all the quality standards established for

chemical substances at European level.

109 For groundwater, a precautionary approach has been taken that

comprises a prohibition on direct discharges to groundwater, and a

requirement to monitor groundwater bodies.

110 Diffuse pollution comes from widespread activities with no one

discrete source, e.g. acid rain, pesticides, urban run-off, etc.

111

Commission's Synthesis Report on the Quality of Drinking Water in

the Union

examining Member States' reports for the 2011-2013

period, foreseen under Article 13(5) of Directive 98/83/EC;

COM(2016)666, p.13

112 European Environment Agency, 2016.

European bathing water

quality in 2015,

p. 26

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

kom (2017) 0063 - Ingen titel

Italy

Figure 11: Bathing water quality 2012 – 15

113

treatment currently estimated by Italy at EUR 4.6

billion

116

Figure 12: Urban waste water Italian situation 2012 –

Final deadline 2005

117

There are considerable issues of non-compliance with the

Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive (UWWTD).

Recent efforts have been made, but almost one third of

all agglomerations above 2000 p.e. (in a total of

approximately 3200) are subject to EU infringement

procedures. It shows that Italy has not achieved the

obligation to reach 100% compliance by 2005.

Figure 12 shows the total generated load at Member

State level (in population equivalent (p.e.) and regardless

of agglomerations) and the load that remains to be

addressed by Italy.

In addition, reporting under the UWWTD and the

Drinking Water Directive reveal discrepancies between

regions and the need for improvement of

implementation at regional level, especially with regard

to monitoring. Urban wastewater treatment data were

completely or partially missing from some regions,

rendering it impossible to calculate compliance rates at

national level

114

Activities to solve these issues are being implemented.

The ERDF will be used in the southern Italy to address the

extensive UWWTD non-compliance, in conjunction with

the National Cohesion and Development Fund. EFSI is

also intervening to improve water infrastructure.

Furthermore, the Decree-Law

Unblock Italy

115

speeds up

investments in water and flooding through administrative

reforms and in 2016 special commissioners to speed up

compliance with the UWWTD have been appointed.

Significant investments are needed for urban wastewater

113 European Environment Agency,

State of bathing water country

reports -Italy,

2016

114 European Commission, Eighth Report on the Implementation Status

and the Programmes for Implementation of the Urban Waste Water

Directive

(COM (2016)105 final)

and Commission Staff Working

Document accompanying the report

(SWD(2016)45 final).

115

Sblocca-Italia

Law 164/2014

Groundwater and surface waters pollution is also a major

challenge. In addition to wastewater discharges,

agriculture, and in particular the use of digestate from

anaerobic digestion of a biodegradable feedstock,

especially in areas characterized by intensive livestock

production, exerts a significant pressure on water

resources. A particular effect is eutrophication in the

Adriatic Sea. Closing the implementation gap in the

Nitrates Directive would address this situation, but

further efforts both in terms of monitoring potentially

vulnerable areas and enforcing existing measures, need

to be done at regional level making use of the EAFRD,

which could also support supplementary measures in

accordance with the Water Framework Directive.

There is a need for improvements in the efficiency of the

water supply system, in particular the high leakage rates

(27% nationally, the figure is closer to 50% in the south)

and it is urgent to invest in renewal of water

infrastructure (the average age is 30 years).

118

Despite

being the major water user in the country, water prices in

the agricultural sector are significantly lower than

domestic and industrial prices, providing little incentive

for an efficient water use.

Investments in the water sector from the ERDF and

EAFRD 2014-20 are made subject to Action Plans for the

116European Commission,

Facts and Figures about Urban Waste Water

Treatment

117 European Commission, 2016.

Urban waste water, 8th

implementation report

118

Partnership Agreement 2014-20,

section 1A, pp.66-7

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Italy

ex-ante

conditionality for water, to ensure the correct

application of the Water Framework Directive, including

the adoption of updated RBMPs and the recovery of

costs for water services.

In Italy integrated water services (public water supply,

wastewater treatment and sewerage) are regulated by

an independent authority called AEEGSI

119

which

approves the tariff methodology and the tariff plans of

water utilities.

services relating to the 2016 – 20 period. AAEGSI has

introduced an increasing (progressive) tariff system

related to consumption that ensures incentive pricing,

supports investments and provides adequate incentives

for users to use water resources efficiently. New rules on

water tariffs entered into force on 01.01.2016.

Furthermore, the 2016 Budget Law

127

has created a

guarantee fund to improve water infrastructure, financed

by the new tariff.

The Ministry of Environment, in cooperation with District

Authorities, has established a Working Group to draft

national guidelines on the abstraction procedures and

setting up environmental flows.

Flood risk areas have already been identified and

mapped in Italy

128

. The first cycle of Flood Risk

Management Plans (FRMPs) have been completed apart

from Sicily

129

Italy is hit regularly by flooding incidents with serious

economic damage costs (the latest serious flooding

incidents occurred in October and November 2014 with a

total cost of damage estimated at EUR 2.2 billion). It is

estimated that 60% of the country is at risk of flooding.

The total cost of floods extrapolated in Italy over 11 years

between 2002-13 was around EUR 11 billion for the 20

major floods recorded. The average cost per flood was

EUR 558 million, well above the EU average of EUR 370

million

130

. Over a longer time period, it is estimated that

the costs of damages on physical assets in the period

1950-10 amounted to EUR 52 billion

131

. In contrast, the

costs of securing the entire national territory was

estimated at EUR 44 billion

132

In order to provide an effective governance system to

manage hydro-geological risk, Italy launched a National

Operational Plan for the mitigation of hydrogeological

risk in the period 2015-20, based on the proposals

directly submitted by the regions to a constantly updated

web platform called ReNDiS

133

; so far about 9,000

requests of mitigation measures for over EUR 31 billion

have been received. Submitted proposals are evaluated

in accordance with criteria laid down in a Council of

Italy has issued guidelines in the form of Ministerial

Decrees for the definition of environmental costs needed

for cost recovery

120

& on water abstraction

measurements and distribution in the agricultural

sector

121

and various regulations governing the

implementation of cost recovery including environmental

and resource cost. For example, by decision

662/2014/IDR

122

, AEEGSI has identified a first set of

charges to include in the environmental resources' costs

(ERC) and by decision 656/2015/R/IDR

123

has regulated

the relationship between service granting authorities and

water

utilities.

addition

with

decision

124

643/2013/R/IDR , AEEGSI has introduced the

Water

Tariff Method

125

and with decision 664/2015/R/IDR

126

has approved a new tariff method for integrated water

119 Autorità per l'energia elettrica, il gas ed il sistema idrico

120 Decreto MATTM n. 39 del 24/2/15 di approvazione criteri per la

definizione degli ERC per tutti gli usi

121 Decreto MiPAFF del 31/7/2015 Approvazione delle linee guida per

la regolamentazione da parte delle Regioni delle modalita' di

quantificazione dei volumi idrici ad uso irriguo

122 Delibera 662/R/2014/IDR dell'AEEGSI “Individuazione ed

esplicitazione dei costi ambientali e della risorsa con riferimento a

quanto previsto nel metodo tariffario idrico (MTI) per l’anno 2015

123 Delibera 656/2015/R/IDR dell'AEEGSI “Convenzione tipo per la

regolazione dei rapporti tra enti affidanti e gestori del servizio idrico

integrato -Disposizioni sui contenuti minimi essenziali”

124 Delibera 27/12/13 n. 643/2013/R/IDR dell'AEEGSI Approvazione del

metodo tariffario idrico e delle disposizioni di completamento

125 Metodo Tariffario Idrico - MTI

126 Delibera 664/2015/R/IDR dell'AEEGSI “Approvazione, ai fini della

valorizzazione dei conguagli nell’ambito del metodo tariffario per il

secondo periodo regolatorio mti-2, delle predisposizioni tariffarie

relative all’ambito territoriale ottimale sarnese vesuviano, per il

periodo 2012-2015”

127 Legge di stabilità 2016

128 European Commission,

Report on the progress in implementation

of the Floods Directive

p. 55

129Italian

government

130 RPA 2014,

Economic and Social Benefits of Environmental

Protection and Resource Efficiency Related to the European

Semester,

study for European Commission

131 Consiglio Nazionale dei Geologi (CNG), 2010. Terra e sviluppo,

decalogo della terra 2010 – Rapporto sullo stato del territorio

italiano. Roma, 13.10.2010

132 Analysis of the potential for growth and job creation through the

protection of water resources, pack 2, final report, (2015), ACTeon &

IMDEA et al (unpublished consultants' report carried out for the

Commission)

133 Repertorio Nazionale degli interventi per la Difesa del Suolo

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Italy

Ministers Presidential Decree

134

. Furthermore, to ensure

the funding of the most urgent measures, another

Council of Ministers Presidential Decree

135

identifies as

part of the National Operational Programme, a

Metropolitan Areas Plan

136

consisting of a set of

mitigation measures for metropolitan areas and urban

areas with high levels of population exposed to flood risk.

This Plan includes 33 projects already funded for a value

of over EUR 650 million, and a programmatic part with

another 99 projects for a value of around EUR 500

million.

Management and prevention of floods is an area where

potentially more economical nature-based solutions

could improve resource efficiency through reducing costs

and delivering multiple benefits. In its 2014-20 ERDF and

EAFRD regional programmes Italy is planning to invest in

nature-based solutions to deal with flood control in

addition to grey infrastructure. Under EFSI a new loan is

underway to deal with flooding and hydrogeological

risks

137

. Finally, among the measures included in National

Operational Plan green Infrastructures are considered a

priority over other measures, as they contribute to

integrated goals from both RBMPs and FRMPs.

Water Framework Directive Article 4(7), in particular

new hydropower projects.



Increase investment in water infrastructure to ensure

implementation for the collection and adequate

treatment of wastewater.



Reduce the polluting pressures by agriculture on

surface and ground waters such as by introducing

binding requirements for farmers to improve nutrient

balances. The implementation of actions in new

national guidelines is a first step.



Improve land use and flood control.

Enhancing the sustainability of cities

The EU Policy on the urban environment encourages

cities to implement policies for sustainable urban

planning and design, including innovative approaches for

urban public transport and mobility, sustainable

buildings, energy efficiency and urban biodiversity

conservation.

SDG11 aims at making cities and human settlements

inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable.

Europe is a Union of cities and towns; around 75% of the

EU population are living in urban areas.

139

The urban

environment poses particular challenges for the

environment and human health, whilst also providing

opportunities and efficiency gains in the use of resources.

The Member States, European institutions, cities and

stakeholders have prepared a new Urban Agenda for the

EU (incorporating the Smart Cities initiative) to tackle

these issues in a comprehensive way, including their

connections with social and economic challenges. At the

heart of this Urban Agenda will be the development of

twelve partnerships on the identified urban challenges,

including air quality and housing

140

The European Commission will launch a new EU

benchmark system in 2017

141

The EU stimulates green cities through awards and

funding, such as the EU Green Capital Award aimed at

cities with more than 100,000 inhabitants and the EU

Green Leaf initiative aimed at cities and towns, with

between 20,000 and 100,000 inhabitants.

In addition, Italy has allocated 5% of its ERDF budget

2014-20 to sustainable urban development.

Suggested action



Improve water policy in line with the intervention logic

of the Water Framework Directive, i.e. provide a more

detailed assessment of pressures to improve

monitoring to know the status of water bodies and

design Programmes of Measures that address all the

main pressures identified, in particular from

agriculture, industry and urban wastewater. The

Programmes of Measures should be adequately

funded. The national and regional administration in

the water sector should improve coordination including

using the district basin authorities created by the

Collegato Ambientale

138



Roll out a water pricing policy based on adopted

national guidelines, including metering for more

efficient use of water. Water abstraction permits

should be reviewed so they are consistent with

environmental objectives.



Ensure that new projects that can cause deterioration

of the status are properly assessed according to the

134

Individuazione dei criteri e delle modalità per stabilire le priorità di

attribuzione delle risorse agli interventi di mitigazione del rischio

idrogeologico

, DCPM 28.05.15

135

Individuazione degli interventi compresi nel Piano stralcio aree

metropolitane ed aree urbane con alto livello di popolazione esposta

a rischio di alluvione,

DCPM 15.09.15

136 Piano Stralcio Aree Metropolitane

137 EFSI –

Italian Flood Prevention Loan

138 The Collegato Ambientale (art. 51) updates the governance

structure for planning in the field of water and soil conservation

(approval in July 2016 – Conferenza Stato Regioni), making

operational the district Basin Authority.

There is a great level of motorisation in Italy's

metropolitan and medium sized cities. Medium sized

cities have the highest number of cars (63.8 per 100

139 European Environment Agency,

Urban environment

140

http://urbanagendaforthe.eu/

141 The Commission is developing an

Urban Benchmarking and

Monitoring ('UBaM') tool

to be launched in 2017. Best practices

emerge and these will be better disseminated via the app featuring

the UBaM tool, and increasingly via e.g. EUROCITIES, ICLEI, CEMR,

Committee of the Regions, Covenant of Mayors and others.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

kom (2017) 0063 - Ingen titel

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persons) followed by the 14 metropolitan cities (62.7 per

100 persons) in 2011 compared to the national average

(62.5 per 100 persons). In the period 2001-11, there has

been a noticeable reduction in motorisation in centre-

north metropolitan cities whereas in the southern

metropolitan cities there has been an increase. This can

be explained by public policies encouraging public

transport. The majority of regions will be using 2014-20

ERDF funds to support clean urban infrastructure and

promotion; there is also a dedicated ERDF National

Programme for Metropolitan Cities 2014-20.

Italy is the 10th worst in the EU with regard to the

economic costs caused by traffic congestion.

142

Certain

urbanised areas such as Rome, Milan and the Venice-

Mestre area are particularly affected. Solving the

congestion problem would substantially reduce the

(health costs of) air pollution and the direct economic

costs of congestion. There is scope for a more

comprehensive approach to congestion problems in Italy.

Reggio Emilia had over 1m of cycle path/inhabitant, the

highest among the 2016 Green Capital Award

contenders

148

. EFSI is being used in Bologna to improve

urban mobility

149

. Connecting Italy (Connettere

Italia),

the

new strategy for transport infrastructure and logistics

includes a target of a 20% increase in km of trams and

metro lines per inhabitant by 2030, a 40% target for

public transport, and a 10% target for softer transport

modes (e.g. cycling). Furthermore, it is planned to have a

30% increase in the population served by high-speed

trains by 2030, a 50% increase in railway freight transport

by 2021 and a maximum time of 2 hours to reach ports

and airports in the core network

150

. Italy has also created

in 2007 a national observatory on local public

transport

151

Each inhabitant has an average of 30.3 m3 of urban

green space in 2011. The lowest values are found in the

centre (23 m2 per inhabitant) and the north-west (24.3

m2 per inhabitant), and in the north-east the average

figure is almost doubled (45.4 m2 per inhabitant). It is

also relatively high in the south (37.1 m2)

152

. The majority

of Italian cities have less than 20% green urban areas.

153

In 2012, over 86% of the residents of Reggio-Emilia lived

within 300m of recreational green areas, helped through

planning policies such as a green belt

154

. Paternò, a

medium-sized city in Sicily, has used the ERDF to boost

green infrastructure

155

. Another innovative project is the

Vertical Forest

156

, in the Porta Nuova district of Milan,

containing plants roughly equivalent to 2.5 acres of

forest.

157

A consequence of energy use and traffic is on airborne

particulate matter. The metropolitan cities have the

highest number of days when daily limit values are

passed (56.1 on average) compared to medium sized

cities (43.1 on average)

158

Regarding municipal waste, medium-sized cities such as

Treviso increased recycling from 52% in December 2013

to 86% in November 2015

159

. In Reggio-Emilia the

recycling rate is almost 60%

160

. In Milano separate

148 European Green Capital Good practice report 2016, p.15

149 EFSI –

Ambiente Urbano Bologna V

150

Connettere l’Italia - Strategie per le infrastrutture

di trasporto e logistica,

pp.44-46

151

Osservatorio Nazionale sulle politiche del Trasporto Pubblico Locale

152 ISTAT

Green Space

153 European Environment Agency,

Green Urban Areas

154 European Green Capital Good practice report 2016, p.19

155 GRaBS, (Green and Blue Space Adaptation for Urban Areas and Eco

Towns),Interreg IV C

156 Bosco Verticale

157 ten Brink P., Mutafoglu K., Schweitzer J-P., Kettunen M., Twigger-

Ross C., Baker J., Kuipers Y., Emonts M., Tyrväinen L., Hujala T., and

Ojala A. (2016) The Health and Social Benefits of Nature and

Biodiversity Protection. A report for the European Commission,

Institute for European Environmental Policy, London/Brussels, p.12

158

Partnership Agreement 2014-20,

section 1A, pp.141

159 European Commission,

Brussels workshop

13.01.2016

160 European Green Capital Good practice report 2016, p.35

Regarding public transport, compared to the national

average index of 208.9 passengers using public transport

per city, metropolitan cities have a figure of 242.9

143

with a higher value in the centre-north & Cagliari (391.7

& 234, respectively) compared to the metropolitan cities

in the south (70.8) in 2012

144

. Mobility sharing is strongly

encouraged with the establishment of a national

observatory

145

, and in Milan for example it is estimated

that 10-20% of the vehicles are shared

146

. The ERDF is

supporting the construction of the tramway in Florence

reducing congestion and improving quality of life

147

142

INRIX scorecard

143 Number of passengers taking public transport divided by the

resident population of a given city

144

Partnership Agreement 2014-20,

section 1A, pp.139

145

Observatory on Mobility Sharing

146 Foundation on Sustainable Development,

mobility sharing,

p.17

147 European Commission,

regional projects,

Florence tram

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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collection is 54%

161

. The situation is worse in southern

Italian cities which encounter serious difficulties in

managing waste (with some exceptions such as the cities

of Salerno and Benevento which have a higher separate

collection). The ERDF has supported improvements in

waste treatment in Salerno

162

Regarding leakage of drinking water, the centre and

southern cities have a higher level than the national

average. The highest losses are in Catania (56.9%) and

Cagliari (58.5%) in 2012

163

. EFSI is being used to improve

water supply in Milan

164

and Ancona

165

Metropolitan cities such as Venice, Florence, Rome,

Naples, Bari, Reggio Calabria, Messina, Catania and

Palermo have persistent difficulties to treat waste

waters. Reggio Emilia has an almost 90% urban

wastewater connection rate

166

. The ERDF has heavily

supported urban wastewater treatment in the Campania

Region for example the project for Campi Flegrei

167

whereas European Investment Bank (EIB) loans are being

used especially in centre and northern Italy to ensure

compliance.

,168169

participation of third countries to such agreements is an

established EU policy objective. In agreements where

voting takes place it has a direct impact on the number of

votes to be cast by the EU.

Currently, Italy has signed but not yet ratified the

Offshore Protocol of the Barcelona Convention

170

, the

Protocol on Integrated Coastal Zone Management, two

agreements under the Convention on Long-range

Transboundary Air Pollution: the Gothenburg Protocol to

Abate Acidification, Eutrophication and Ground-level

Ozone and the Heavy Metals Protocol. The same applies

to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic

Pollutants, the Kiev Protocol on Pollutant Release and

Transfer Registers, and the Nagoya Protocol

171

. The

Italian authorities have indicated their commitment to

ratify the Minamata Convention on mercury, already

signed in 2013.

Suggested action



Increase efforts to be party to relevant multilateral

environmental agreements, by signing and ratifying the

remaining agreements.

International agreements

The EU Treaties require that the Union policy on the

environment promotes measures at the international

level to deal with regional or worldwide environmental

problems.

Most environmental problems have a transboundary

nature and often a global scope and they can only be

addressed effectively through international co-operation.

International environmental agreements concluded by

the Union are binding upon the institutions of the Union

and on its Member States. This requires the EU and the

Member States to sign, ratify and effectively implement

all relevant multilateral environmental agreements

(MEAs) in a timely manner. This will also be an important

contribution towards the achievement of the SDGs,

which Member States committed to in 2015 and include

many commitments contained already in legally binding

agreements.

The fact that some Member States did not sign and/or

ratify a number of MEAs compromises environmental

implementation, including within the Union, as well as

the Union’s credibility in related negotiations and

international

meetings

where

supporting

the

161 Consorzio Italiano Compostatori, presentation, Waste Directors,

Brussels, 26.10.2016

162 European Commission,

regional projects,

Salerno waste

163 ISTAT

UrBes

2015, p.30

164 EFSI,

MM water infrastructure upgrade

165 EFSI,

multiservizi settore idrico Ancona

166 European Green Capital Good practice report 2016, p.41

167 European Commission,

regional projects,

Lake Flegrei

168 EIB

Viver Hydrobond

169

EIB Breaking

Down Investment Barriers at Ground Level,

p.31

170 Protocol for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against

Pollution Resulting from Exploration and Exploitation of the

Continental Shelf and the Seabed and its Subsoil.

171 Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable

Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on

Biological Diversity.

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

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Part II: Enabling Framework: Implementation Tools

4. Market based instruments and investments

Green taxation and environmentally harmful

subsidies

The Circular Economy Action Plan encourages the use of

financial incentives and economic instruments, such as

taxation to ensure that product prices better reflect

environmental costs. The phasing out of environmentally

harmful subsidies is monitored in the context of the

European Semester and in national reform programmes

submitted by Member States.

Taxing pollution and resource use can generate increased

revenue and brings important social and environmental

benefits.

Italy has environmental tax revenues amounting to 3.6%

of GDP in 2014 (EU 28 average: 2.46% of GDP).

172

In the

same year environmental tax revenues accounted for

8.28% of total revenues from taxes and social-security

contributions (EU28 average: 6.35%) as shown in Figure

13.

Shifting taxation away from labour towards taxes less

harmful to growth remains a key challenge in Italy, and

has been recommended as a country specific

recommendation (CSR) under the European Semester

2012-14. Italy remains fairly modest in its proposed tax

shift with 0.2% of GDP. A 3 year plan of measured tax

cuts is planned starting with property taxes in 2016.

A 2016 study shows there is considerable potential for

shifting taxes from labour to environment

173

. Under a

good practice scenario

174

, these taxes could generate an

additional EUR 10.85 billion by 2018, rising to EUR 19.53

billion by 2030 (both in real 2015 terms). This is

equivalent to an increase by 0.64% and 1.4% of GDP in

2018 and 2030, respectively.

The largest potential source of revenue comes from the

suggested harmonisation of taxes on transport fuels,

generating EUR 9.14 billion of revenue generated by

2030 (real 2015 terms), equivalent to 0.45% of GDP. The

172 Eurostat,

Environmental tax revenues,

accessed June 2016

173 Eunomia Research and Consulting, IEEP, Aarhus University, ENT,

2016.

Study on Assessing the Environmental Fiscal Reform Potential

for the EU28.

N.B. National governments are responsible for setting

tax rates within the EU Single Market rules and this report is not

suggesting concrete changes as to the level of environmental

taxation. It merely presents the findings of the 2016 study by

Eunomia

et al

on the potential benefits various environmental taxes

could bring. It is then for the national authorities to assess this study

and their concrete impacts in the national context. A first step in this

respect, already done by a number of Member States, is to set up

expert groups to assess these and make specific proposals.

174

The good practice scenario means benchmarking to a successful

taxation practice in another Member State.

next largest contribution to revenue comes from the

proposed water abstraction tax. This accounts for EUR

4.64 billion in 2030 (real 2015 terms), equivalent to

0.23% of GDP.

Italy has a diesel differential of around 85% (as a

benchmark a figure of 100% means the same level of

taxation for petrol and diesel cars, i.e. no diesel

differential)

175

, whereas externalities associated with

diesel are higher than petrol and therefore it would

justify higher taxation.

Figure 13: Environmental tax revenues as a share of

total revenues from taxes and social contributions

(excluding imputed social contributions) in 2014

176

Environmentally-harmful subsidies (EHS) persist in Italy

notably a reduced rate of VAT on energy and low

taxation of company cars. There has been very limited

175 Update by European Commission, 2015 based on Harding M., 2014.

The Diesel Differential: Differences in the Tax Treatment of Gasoline

and Diesel for Road Use.

OECD Taxation Working Papers, No. 21;

European Environment Agency 2016,

Environmental taxation and EU

environmental policies,

table 4.3, p.24

176 Eurostat,

Environmental tax revenues,

accessed October 2016

Environmental Implementation Report – Italy

kom (2017) 0063 - Ingen titel

Italy

progress on the removal of EHSs with some increases in

excise duties and an extension for grants for energy

efficiency (so an environmentally positive subsidy)

offered in the 2015 budget but so far not enacted. The

Collegato Ambientale

establishes a catalogue of

environmental friendly and harmful subsidies with a

report due by 31 July of each year.

Italy has proposed to establish a Committee on

Environmental Taxation, mentioned in its 2015 National

Reform Programme (but not mentioned in the 2016

National Reform programme). The

Collegato Ambientale

creates a Committee on Environmental Accounting that

should produce a report by the 28 February of each year.

in more than 50% of tenders for certain product