EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 27.5.2025
COM(2025) 285 final
2025/0148(NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION
amending Implementing Decision (EU) (ST 10160/21 INIT; ST 10160/21 ADD 1 REV 2) of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Italy
{SWD(2025) 145 final}
2025/0148 (NLE)
Proposal for a
COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION
amending Implementing Decision (EU) (ST 10160/21 INIT; ST 10160/21 ADD 1 REV 2) of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Italy
THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION,
Having regard to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union,
Having regard to Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility 1 , and in particular Article 20(1) thereof,
Having regard to the proposal from the European Commission,
Whereas:
(1)Following the submission of the national recovery and resilience plan (‘RRP’) by Italy on 30 April 2021, the Commission has proposed its positive assessment to the Council. The Council approved the positive assessment by means of the Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 2 . That Council Implementing Decision was amended on 19 September 2023 3 , on 8 December 2023 4 , on 14 May 2024 5 , and on 18 November 2024 6 .
(2)On 21 March 2025, Italy made a reasoned request to the Commission to make a proposal to amend the Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 in accordance with Article 21(1) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 on the grounds that the RRP is partially no longer achievable because of objective circumstances. On that basis, Italy has submitted an amended RRP.
Amendments based on Article 21 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241
(3)The amendments to the RRP submitted by Italy because of objective circumstances concern 67 measures.
(4)Italy has explained that two measures are partially no longer achievable, because of lack of or change in demand. This concerns, respectively, M2C2-51 under Investment 3.2 Hydrogen Use in hard-to-abate industry under Mission 2 Component 2; M7-18, M7-20 and M7-21 under Investment 6. Cross-border electricity interconnection projects between Italy and neighbouring countries under Mission 7. On this basis, Italy has requested to extend the implementation timeline of M7-20 and M7-21 under Investment 6. Cross-border electricity interconnection projects between Italy and neighbouring countries, under Mission 7. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(5)Italy has explained that six measures are partially no longer achievable, because of supply chain disruptions. This concerns, respectively, M3C1-5 and M3C1-6 under Investment 1.1 - High-speed railway connections to the South for passengers, M3C1-9 under Investment 1.2 - High-speed lines in the North connecting to rest of Europe, M3C1-11 under Investment 1.3: Diagonal connections and freight, measure description under Investment 1.5: Strengthening metropolitan nodes, measure description under Investment 1.6: Strengthening regional lines - Upgrading of regional railways (management RFI), M3C1-17bis under Investment 1.7 - Upgrading, electrification and resilience of railways South and key national links under Mission 3 Component 1. On this basis, Italy has requested to amend the aforementioned milestones and targets. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(6)Italy has explained that M2C2-4 under Investment 1.4 Development of biomethane, according to criteria for promoting the circular economy is partially no longer achievable, because of high inflation. On this basis, Italy has requested to amend the aforementioned target. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(7)Italy has explained that M5C2-16 under Investment 5 - Urban Integrated Plans - Overcoming illegal settlements to fight labour exploitation in agriculture under Mission 5 Component 2 is partially no longer achievable, because of the need to follow unexpected lengthier preparatory procedures, due to unforeseen changes in the population of the illegal settlements, which have necessitated lengthier preparatory procedures. On this basis, Italy has requested to extend the implementation timeline of the aformentioned target. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(8)Italy has explained that 37 measures have been amended to implement better alternatives in order to achieve the original ambition of the measure. This concerns M1C1-18 and M1C1-27 under measure Investment 1.3.1 - National digital data platform, M1C1-23 under measure Investment 1.4.6: Mobility as a Service for Italy, M1C1-49 and M1C1-50 under measure Investment 1.8: Recruitment procedures for administrative courts, M1C1-60 under Reform 1.9: Reform of the public administration, M1C1-72ter and M1C1-72quater under measure Reform 1.11: Reduction of late payments by public administrations and health authorities, M1C1-73ter, M1C1-84bis, M1C1-98 and M1C1-98bis under Reform 1.10: Reform of the public procurement legislative framework, M1C1-144 under measure Investment 1.4.2 - Citizen inclusion - Accessibility improvement of digital public services, M1C1-145, M1C1-146 under measure Investment 1.4.4 -Adoption scale up of the National Digital Identity platforms (SPID, CIE) and the national registry (ANPR) under Mission 1 Component 1; M1C2-11, M1C2-12, M1C2-13 under Reform 2: Annual Competition Laws, M1C2-15 under Investment 2: Innovation and technology of microelectronics under Mission 1, Component 2; M1C3-3 under Investment - 1.2 Removal of physical and cognitive barriers in museums, libraries and archives to enable wider access to and participation in culture, M1C3-18 under Investment 2.3: Programmes to enhance the identity of places, parks and historic gardens under Mission 1, Component 3; M2C1-16ter under Investment 1.1 - Implementation of new waste management plants and modernization of existing plants, M2C1-23, M2C1-23 under Investment 3.4: Fondo Contratti di Filiera (FCF) to support supply-chains contracts for the agri-food, fishing and aquaculture, forestry, floriculture and plant nursery sectors, under Mission 2, Component 1; M2C2-28, M2C2-29 under Investment 4.3 – Installation of charging infrastructures, M2C2-38bis, M2C2-39, M2C2-40 under Investment 5.1 – Renewables and Batteries, M2C2-42bis and M2C2-43 under Investment 5.4 – Support to start ups and venture capital active in the ecological transition, M2C2-44 under Investment 1.1 - Development of agri-voltaic systems, M2C2-47 under Investment 1.2 - Promotion of RES for energy communities and jointly acting renewables self-consumers under Mission 2 Component 2; M4C1-19 under Investment 3.2: School 4.0: innovative schools, wiring, new classrooms and workshops, M4C1-23 under Investment 3.4: Teaching and advanced university skills, M4C1-24 under Investment 1.6: Active orientation in school-university transition, M4C1-25 under Investment 1.4: Extraordinary intervention aimed at the reduction of territorial gaps in I and II cycles of secondary school and at tackling school drop-out, under Mission 4, Component 1; M4C2-1bis under Investment 1.2: Funding projects presented by young researchers, M4C2-3 under Investment 3.3: Introduction of innovative doctorates that respond to the needs of innovation by enterprises and promote the hiring of researchers by companies, M4C2-21 and M4C2-21bis under Investment 3.2 – Financing start-ups under Mission 4, Component 2; M5C1-14 under Investment 2 - Gender equality certification system under Mission 5, Component 1; M5C2-18 under Investment 5 - Urban Integrated Plans - EIB Fund-Of-Fund under Mission 5, Component 2; M5C3-9 under Investment1.3: Structured socio-educational interventions to combat educational poverty in the South supporting the Third Sector under Mission 5, Component 3; M6C1-6 under Investment 1.2: Home as the first place of care and telemedicine, under Mission 6, Component 1; M6C2-2, M6C2-3 under Investment 2.1: Strengthening and enhancement of the NHS biomedical research, under Mission 6, Component 2; M7-1 under Reform 1. Streamlining permitting procedures for renewable energy at central and local level; M7-7 under Reform 4: Mitigation of financial risk associated with renewable PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements), Investment 16, Support to SMEs for self-production from renewable energy sources, M7-46, M7-47, M7-48 and M7-49 under Investment 17. Financial instrument to alleviate energy poverty. for energy renovations of public residential housing and social housing, and low-income and vulnerable households under Mission 7. On this basis, Italy has requested to amend the aformentioned milestones and targets. Furthermore, Italy has requested to remove milestones M1C1-61 under Reform 1.9: Reform of the public administration, targets targets M1C1-64 and M1C1-65 under Investment 1.9: Provide technical assistance and strengthen capacity building for the implementation of the Italian recovery and resilience plan under Mission 1, Component 1, milestone M1C2-30, targets M1C2-31 and M1C2-32 under Investment 7. Support to the production system for the Ecological Transition, Net Zero Technologies, and competitiveness and resilience of strategic supply chains under Mission 1 Component 2, targets M2C2-29bis, M2C2-30bis, M2C2-30ter under M2C2 Investment 4.3.1 – Installation of charging infrastructures under Mission 2 Component 2; target M5C1-13 under Investment 2 - Gender equality certification system under Mission 5 Component 1, milestone M7-8 under Reform 4: Mitigation of financial risk associated with renewable PPAs (Power Purchase Agreements) under Mission 7. Furthermore, Italy has requested to add milestone M1C2-13bis under Reform 2: Annual Competition Laws under Mission 1 Component 2; targets M3C1-5 under Investment 1.1 - High-speed railway connections to the South for passengers and freight and M4C2-3bis under Investment 3.3: Introduction of innovative doctorates that respond to the needs of innovation by enterprises and promote the hiring of researchers by companies. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(9)Italy has explained that 20 measures have been amended to implement a better alternative allowing to reduce the administrative burden, whilst still reaching the objectives of the respective measure. This concerns Investment 1.6 - Digital transformation of large central administration, M1C1-43 and M1C1-44 under Reform 1.4: Reform of civil justice, M1C1-155 under Investment 1.6.3 - Digitization of National Social Security Institute (INPS) and National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at work (INAIL) under Mission 1 Component 1; M1C3-27 under Investment 4.3: Caput Mundi Next Generation EU for touristic great events under Mission 1 Component 3; M2C2-34 and M2C2-35 under Investment 4.4.1: Strengthening of the regional public transport bus fleet with zero-emission low-floor buses, M2C2-34bis and M2C2-35bis under Investment 4.4.2: Strengthening of the regional public transport railway fleet with zero emission trains and universal service under Mission 2 Component 2, M2C3-8 under Investment 1.2 - Construction of buildings, requalification and strengthening of public real estate assets partly or wholly used by of the administration of justice under Mission 2 Component 3; M2C4-11bis under Investment 2.1: Measures for flood and hydrogeological risk reduction, M2C4-34, M2C4-24bis, M2C4-35 and M2C4-35bis under Investment 4.3 Investments in the resilience of the irrigation agrosystem for better management of water resources under Mission 2 Component 4; M3C1-19 and M3C1-20 under Investment 1.8 - Upgrading railway stations (Rete Ferroviaria Italiana (RFI) management; in South) under Mission 3, Component 1; M3C2-7 under Investment 2.3: Cold ironing under Mission 3 Component 2; M4C1-12 under Investment 4.1: Extension in number and career opportunities of PhDs (Research-oriented, Public Administration and Cultural Heritage), M4C1-17 and M4C1-16 under Investment 3.1: New skills and new languages, M4C1-20 under Investment 1.5: Development of the tertiary vocational training system (ITS), under Mission 4 Component 1; M5C1-15bis and M5C1-16 under Investment 4 - Universal Civil Service under Mission 5 Component 1; M5C3-12 and the measure description under Investment 1.4: Infrastructural investments for the Special Economic Zone under Mission 5 Component 3; M6C2-12 under Investment 1.3: Strengthening of the technological infrastructure and of the tools for data collection, data processing, data analysis and simulation under Mission 6 Component 2; M7-4 under Reform 2: Environmental Harmful Subsidies, M7-14 and M7-15 under Investment 4: Tyrrhenian link, M7-16 Investment 5: SA.CO.I.3, M7-31 Investment 11: Strengthening of the regional public transport railway fleet with zero emission trains and universal service under Mission 7. On this basis, Italy has requested to remove unnecessary background information or procedural elements that do not contribute to the objectives of the measures, to clarify that certain elements relate to the objectives or the context of the measures, and to simplify descriptions of measures or milestones and targets that cause an unjustified administrative burden for reaching the objectives of the respective measures. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(10)Following the amendments to measures under Article 21 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, Italy has further requested to add two new measures. This concerns target M2C2-30 under measure Investment 4.5 - Private and light commercial vehicle fleet renewal program with electric vehicles under Mission 2 Component 2 and milestones M3C1-25 and M3C1-26 under Reform 1.3 - Boosting the efficiency of railway infrastructure in Italy under Mission 3, Component 1. On this basis, Italy has requested to add the aforementioned milestones and targets. The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(11)The Commission considers that the reasons put forward by Italy justify the amendment(s) pursuant to Article 21(2) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, and the Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 should be amended accordingly.
(12)The distribution of milestones and targets in instalments should be modified to take into account the amendments to the plan and the indicative timeline presented by Italy.
Corrections of clerical errors
(13)11 clerical errors have been identified in the text of the Council Implementing Decision, affecting eight milestones and targets and seven measures under four components. The Council Implementing Decision should be amended to correct these clerical errors that do not reflect the content of the RRP submitted to the Commission on 30 April 2021 as agreed between the Commission and Italy. Those clerical errors relate to M1C1-20 under measure Investment 1.5 – Cybersecurity, M1C1-139 and M1C1-147 under measure Investment 1.2 - Cloud enablement for local PA, M1C1-140 under Investment 1.4.1 - Citizen experience - Improvement of the quality and the usability of digital public services, M1C1-143 under Investment 1.6.4 - Digitization of the Ministry of Defence under Mission 1 Component 1; M1C2-19 under Investment 3.1: Green islands, M1C2-23 under measure Investment 4: Satellite Technology and Space economy under Mission 1 Component 2; M2C4-22 and M2C4-23 under measure Investment 3.3 Re-naturification of Po area, under Mission 2 Component 4; and the description of the following measures Investment 1.3 - Data and interoperability under Mission 1 Component 1; Investment 7 – Sport and Social Inclusion under Mission 5 Component 2. Those corrections do not affect the implementation of the measures concerned.
Commission’s assessment
(14)The Commission has assessed the amended RRP against the assessment criteria laid down in Article 19(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241.
Measures having a cross-border or multi-country dimension or effect
(15)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (db), of and Annex V, criterion 2.13, to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the measures included in the REPowerEU chapter are expected to a large extent (Rating A) to have a cross-border or multi-country dimension or effect.
(16)The amendments affecting measures having a cross-border or multi-country dimension or level concern Investment 6 - Cross-border electricity interconnection projects between Italy and neighbouring countries, under Mission 7. The limited scope of the amendments does not change the overall assessment of this criterion.
Contribution to the green transition, including biodiversity
(17)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (e), of and Annex V, criterion 2.5, to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the amended RRP contains measures that contribute to a large extent (Rating A) to the green transition, including biodiversity, or to addressing the challenges resulting therefrom. The measures supporting climate objectives account for an amount which represents 39.5% of the amended RRP’s total allocation and 75.7% of the total estimated costs of measures in the REPowerEU chapter calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Annex VI to Regulation (EU) 2021/241. In accordance with Article 17 of Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the amended RRP is consistent with the information included in the National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030.
(18)The modifications to the contribution to the green transition relate to the increase in allocation for Investment 1.4: Development of biomethane and to the corresponding decrease in allocation of Investment 3.2: hydrogen use in hard-to-abate industry, both under Mission 2 Component 2. In addition, the envelope for Investment 4.3 – Installation of charging infrastructures has been decreased, and the corresponding amount has been allocated to the new Investment 4.5 - Private and light commercial vehicle fleet renewal program with electric vehicles, both under Mission 2 Component 2. Investment 7. Support to the production system for the Ecological Transition, Net Zero Technologies, and competitiveness and resilience of strategic supply chains under Mission 1 Component 2 has been merged under Investment 5.1 – Renewables and Batteries under Mission 2 Component 2. A limited reduction to three measures partially no longer achievable because of supply chain disruptions under Mission 3 Component 1 Investment 1.1 - High-speed railway connections to the South for passengers, Investment 1.2 - High-speed lines in the North connecting to rest of Europe, 1.3: Diagonal connections and freight, has been partially compensated by an increase in the allocation of Investment 1.9 Inter-regional connections. Overall, due to the differing climate tagging content of the increased measure and the decreased ones, the modifications to Italy’s RRP entail a net increase in the overall contribution to the climate target of the plan by 0.1% to 39.5% from 39.4%. The limited scope of these amendments does not change the overall assessment of this criterion.
Contribution to the digital transition
(19)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (f), of and Annex V, criterion 2.6, to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the amended RRP contains measures that contribute to a large extent (Rating A) to the digital transition or to addressing the challenges resulting from it. The measures supporting digital objectives account for an amount which represents 25.5% of the amended RRP’s total allocation calculated in accordance with the methodology set out in Annex VII to that Regulation.
(20)The amendments affecting measures having a digital dimension concern only a few measures from Mission 1 Component 1. The limited scope of the amendments does not change the overall assessment of this criterion.
Costing
(21)In accordance with Article 19(3), point (i), of and Annex V, criterion 2.9, to Regulation (EU) 2021/241, the justification provided in the amended RRP on the amount of the estimated total costs of the RRP is to a medium extent (Rating B) reasonable and plausible, is in line with the principle of cost efficiency and is commensurate to the expected national economic and social impact.
(22)The amount of the estimated total costs of the modified RRP is in line with the nature and type of the envisaged reforms and investments. As a result, cost estimates for most of the measures in the modified RRP are deemed reasonable and plausible. Italy has provided sufficient information and evidence that the amount of the estimated total costs is not covered by existing or planned Union financing. Finally, the estimated total cost of the modified RRP is in line with the principle of cost-efficiency and commensurate with the expected national economic and social impact. Therefore, a rating B is warranted for the modified RRP.
Any other assessment criteria
(23)The Commission considers that the amendments put forward by Italy do not affect the positive assessment of the RRP set out in the Council Implementing Decision ST 10160/21 INIT; ST 10160/21 ADD 1 REV 2 of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the RRP for Italy regarding the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency and coherence of the RRP against the assessment criteria laid down in Article 19(3), points (a), (b), (c), (d), (da), (g), (h), (j) and (k).
Measures supporting investment operations contributing to the objectives of the Strategic Technologies for Europe Platform (STEP)
(24)In accordance with Article 4(4) of the Regulation (EU) 2024/795, Italy considered as a matter of priority projects that have been awarded a Sovereignty Seal pursuant to Article 4(1) of the Regulation (EU) 2024/795. However, Italy considered that no project having been awarded a Sovereignty Seal was to be included in the amended RRP, because the evaluation of the compliance of such projects with the RRF regulation and with state aid rules is ongoing and their inclusion at this stage would be premature, as their eligibility has not yet been fully verified.
Positive assessment
(25)Following the positive assessment by the Commission of the amended RRP with the finding that the RRP satisfactorily complies with the criteria for assessment set out in Regulation (EU) 2021/241, in accordance with Article 20(2) of and Annex V to that Regulation, the reforms and investment projects necessary for the implementation of the amended RRP, the relevant milestones, targets and indicators, and the amount made available from the Union for the implementation of the amended RRP in the form of non-repayable financial support should be set out.
Financial contribution
(26)The estimated total costs of Italy’s amended RRP is EUR 194 415 941 466. As the amount of the estimated total costs of the amended RRP is higher than the updated maximum financial contribution available for Italy, the financial contribution determined in accordance with Article 20(4) and 21a(6) allocated for Italy amended RRP should be equal to EUR 71 779 623 788.
Loans
(27)The loan support made available to Italy amounting to EUR 122 601 810 400 remains unchanged.
(28)Council Implementing Decision ST 10160/21 INIT; ST 10160/21 ADD 1 REV 2 of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the RRP for Italy should therefore be mended accordingly. For the sake of clarity, the Annex to that Council Implementing Decision should be replaced entirely,
HAS ADOPTED THIS DECISION:
Article 1
The Council Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Italy is amended as follows:
(1) Article 1 is replaced by the following:
“Article 1
Approval of the assessment of the RRP
The assessment of the modified RRP of Italy on the basis of the criteria provided for in Article 19(3) of Regulation (EU) 2021/241 is approved. The reforms and investment projects under the RRP, the arrangements and timetable for the monitoring and implementation of the RRP, including the relevant milestones and targets and the additional milestones and targets related to the payment of non-repayable financial support, the relevant indicators relating to the fulfilment of the envisaged milestones and targets, and the arrangements for providing full access by the Commission to the underlying relevant data are set out in the Annex to this Decision.”;
(2) the Annex is replaced by the text in the Annex to this Decision:
Article 2
Addressee
This Decision is addressed to Italian Republic.
Done at Brussels,
For the Council
The President