Italy’s Cabinet Contests Regional Law on Hydro Licences

The Italian government has challenged Lombardy's regional regulation on hydro concessions.

The government says that the regional law does not comply with different articles of the constitution respecting the legislative competence of the central state regarding environmental protection. It also violates the constitution regarding the production, transport and distribution of power, according to the cabinet.

Energy is part of "concurrent legislation", according to the constitution, with regions having effective control of legislation and central government outlining the fundamental principles.

Italy last year approved plans to transfer the ownership of hydro concessions to single regions once the current licences expire. Regions gained the power to assign licences to private-sector or public-private entities and can independently regulate tenders without waiting for national guidelines, as required under the previous law.

Lombardy had approved its regulation at the beginning of April, while the Italian parliament had deferred the deadline for the presentation of regional laws until 31 October from the previous 31 March amid limitations owing to the Covid-19 pandemic.