Ex Ilva, there are conditions to consider an Italian consortium

«There are conditions to consider an Italian consortium.» On the day of the double summit on August 5 at the Ministry of Enterprises, the news about the former Ilva comes from Emanuele Orsini, president of Confindustria, during the meeting between Minister Adolfo Urso, Confindustria, Federmeccanica, Federacciai, and the main national groups in the sector. Orsini describes the meeting at Mimit as «serious and fruitful» and adds: «Hypotheses are being evaluated on the merits. Given the new conditions related to the former Ilva plant – explains Orsini referring to the Magistrate’s provision that stops the hot area of the steel plant – conditions open up to consider an Italian consortium that cares about the country’s basic industry. Beyond the people, there are very important product supply chains behind Ilva».

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Meanwhile, the hot area of the former Ilva in Taranto will have to stop. And the decree of the Milan Court of Appeal must be applied, which, due to asbestos and fine dust pollution, orders its shutdown within 90 days, which are now even fewer as some days have already passed. In the first of the two summits, the one with the Puglia Region, the Municipalities of Taranto and Statte, and the Province of Taranto, Minister Urso states this clearly. However, if the hot area must stop and many jobs will be lost at the former Ilva and related companies, there is also the prospect of building alternatives for reindustrialization. From this point of view, the meeting at Mimit confirmed the existence of a series of possible projects that had already been discussed in recent months, projects that now need to be specified and defined, and it also added some new ones such as the one communicated, albeit in broad terms, by the Pirelli group to Minister Urso. The closure of the hot area of the former Ilva in Taranto «must be implemented», the provision of the Milan Court of Appeal has also been included in the data room containing all data on the former Ilva and therefore the participants in the tender for the sale of the company know it, Urso states. «We must necessarily acknowledge the decision of the Milan Court of Appeal, which orders the closure of the hot area within 90 days, which the extraordinary commissioners must implement,» the minister notes, adding that «in light of the new scenario, Jindal has submitted an updated proposal on the entire company perimeter, which takes into account the closure of the hot area and which the commissioners are evaluating».

But beyond the former Ilva issue, the summit also brought to light new activities that could compensate for the downsizing of the steel plant. Urso explains: «Various areas are already available and we will evaluate with local authorities the procedure to support investments.» Meanwhile, «in discussions with Jindal – Urso continues – the commissioners had already agreed that areas not necessary for steel activities could be made immediately available within the Taranto Table. These are about 170 hectares, 140 of which are already reclaimed, intended to host new investments. To these are added 450 hectares of the Port System Authority and over 350 hectares of former military areas decommissioned or in the process of decommissioning. The Taranto Table can therefore clearly define the framework of available surfaces and any extraordinary interventions needed on the authorization front to support investments.» To lead and support this process, the Government, in agreement with local authorities, would also consider appointing an ad hoc commissioner, «appropriately adapted to the Taranto context» with the aim of «accelerating authorization procedures and promoting the realization of new investments».

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The list of what could be realized in the Taranto area is extensive. There are confirmations and also new developments. Among the latter is the Pirelli group which, in a letter to Urso, stated that it is considering an investment in Puglia of up to 100 million with 1,000 new jobs both direct and indirect. It is specified that this is a possible development project potentially capable of generating about a thousand new jobs between direct and indirect employment. According to what emerges from Pirelli’s communication, it would involve the creation of an innovation center with a test track, connected to the Bari hub dedicated to software development, with which important synergies could develop. The Pirelli group is already in contact with Mimit and the Puglia Region to identify the most suitable site.

Alongside Pirelli, there are confirmations and the re-proposal of initiatives already announced months ago. For example, the Webuild group has confirmed interest in creating a hub dedicated to carpentry works in Taranto. According to the company, the project would be linked to the construction of the Strait bridge and could enhance the proximity to the steel hub of Taranto. The realization of the hub – it was explained – would be subject to the possibility of guaranteeing the supply of steel compliant with the specifications required by the project and the presence of an industrial and production facility capable of ensuring a direct connection with the construction site. Under these conditions, Webuild has therefore confirmed its interest in the initiative.

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