Environmental Assessments and Authorizations: SEA - EIA - IPPC Permit

The EU Pilot system represents the main communication and cooperation tool through which the European Commission, through the National Contact Point (represented in Italy by the Mission Structure at the European Affairs Department of the Presidency of the Council) sends requests of information to Member States in order to ensure the correct application of EU law and to prevent possible infringement procedures.

The European Commission makes use of this survey instrument (generally to verify specific reports received by citizens, associations, etc.) when the knowledge of a situation of fact or law in a Member State is not sufficient to get a clear picture on the correct application of EU law and in all cases that could be solved avoiding a formal infringement procedure.

In the field of Environmental Impact Assessment and Strategic Environmental Assessment, from the beginning of 2014 to date 10 EU Pilot cases started against Italy in 2010, including those related to Cremona motorway link, Valdastico A31 motorway, Quadrante Europa (Multimodal transport node of Verona), Pedemontana Veneta motorway, Port of Trieste Master Plan, have been closed by the European Commission.