Taranto

Former Ilva site: meeting at Palazzo Chigi on the closure of the hot zone

An extraordinary plan is being considered to deal with the Court of Appeal’s ruling

by Domenico Palmiotti

28 July 2026

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4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

A technical working group comprising ministries, trade unions and local authorities will begin its work as early as next week, probably on Tuesday at the Mimit, to examine what alternatives are possible following the decree of the Milan Court of Appeal, which on 27 July ruled that within 90 days operations in the hot section of the Taranto steelworks must be halted due to emissions of fine particulate matter, PM10 and PM2.5, and the presence of asbestos.

Following today’s summit at Palazzo Chigi with the Under-Secretary to the Prime Minister, Mantovano, and Ministers Giorgetti (Economy), Urso (Business) and Calderone (Labour), are discussing an extraordinary plan to be agreed upon by the Government, workers’ organisations and local institutions. This plan will need to seek solutions that bring together the various aspects of the problem: the need to somehow save the former Ilva, the future of the workers, social safety nets and other support and protection measures, and the new industrial projects needed to mitigate the cutbacks that the steelworks will inevitably face – and which it would have faced in any case with the decarbonisation of electric furnaces replacing blast furnaces.

Mantovano: no decision has been taken, nor is there a predetermined outcome

“No decision has yet been taken, nor is there any predetermined outcome. All working hypotheses will be examined without prejudice and without preconceived choices,” summarised Under-Secretary Mantovano at the end of the discussion. Regarding the extraordinary plan called for during the meeting, Mantovano states that ‘to ensure it does not remain a mere slogan but is translated into a concrete project, it is necessary to clearly define its premises, starting with an in-depth technical assessment of the implications of the Milan Court of Appeal’s ruling. It is also necessary to examine the possibility of involving further investors, starting with Italian ones, and to jointly analyse all further investment proposals concerning Taranto, as well as the resources available to support such measures. This is also with a view to guaranteeing a future in employment for those who, as a result of the situation that has arisen, might lose their jobs. It is also necessary – Mantovano continues – to strengthen the involvement of local authorities, in particular the Puglia Region and the Municipality of Taranto. The entire process must lead to the development of concrete proposals, building on the input from the trade unions”.

At the start of the meeting, the Under-Secretary to the Presidency pointed out that the ruling of the Milan Court of Appeal ‘prohibits production activities, and is therefore a ruling suspending activities, not one setting out conditions for their continuation’.

A new tender specifically for the area and cooling systems may be issued

Later in the discussion, Mantovano says that the tender to sell the former Ilva site in the ‘cold zone’ needs to be ‘revised’. This is interpreted as meaning that a new tender is required for the former Ilva site following the two already launched in July 2024 and August 2025, given that a production facility comprising the hot area in Taranto and the cold areas in Taranto and at the other plants is no longer on the market, as the hot area is to be shut down within 90 days by the Milan courts, whilst only the individual cold areas remain.

Giancarlo Quaranta, one of the special commissioners at Acciaierie d’Italia, warns that carrying out the removal of asbestos within 90 days, as ordered by the courts, is practically impossible. Much more time is needed. And so, Quaranta adds, ‘in a responsible manner and in line with the provisions of the decree, we are assessing the steps that will lead to the shutdown of the plants. The shutdown of the hot section – he notes – will result in a halt to production, and the cold and hot rolling mills at the other plants will also gradually be shut down”.

The possibility of an appeal to the Court of Cassation

However, following a break in the meeting, as discussions resumed at the Chigi table, plans to shut down the hot section were put on hold because, under pressure from the trade unions, the decision was taken to pursue the joint plan. However, this plan still needs to be developed in terms of projects, resources, tools and operational expertise. And in the background remains the possibility that Acciaierie might challenge the Court of Appeal’s ruling by lodging an extraordinary appeal with the Court of Cassation and applying for a stay of execution at the Court of Appeal itself. But no decision has been taken on this matter, according to company sources, who added that it was not discussed at the meeting. The possibility of a new call for tenders, however, remains on the table.

Reactions from the trade unions

At the end of the summit – which addressed neither Jindal’s nor Flacks’ offer – the trade unions – which, in the meantime, have called for an 8-hour strike to be held shortly – view the path that has opened up in a positive light. Davide Sperti of the Uilm says: ‘After so many decrees that have saved no one, we want a single decree that looks after the workers – who are the ones who have paid the highest price – and the city. No public money for foreign private companies, especially to make people redundant; give the money to the communities to heal divisions, transform the city and find alternative solutions.’

“‘We must take the time,’ says Ferdinando Uliano of Fim Cisl, ‘to find viable solutions for industry in our country, for Ilva’s workers, and for health and safety. The fate of Cornigliano and Novi is linked to Taranto. Closing the hot areas also means closing the cold areas. Those in Taranto are at a standstill, often disused, and require significant investment. Those in Genoa and Novi, on the other hand, are dependent on the blast furnaces in Taranto. Preventing the closure of the hot areas means we must find solutions to develop alternatives.” Finally, Michele De Palma of Fiom Cgil maintains that ‘the government and the commissioners will suspend unilateral actions until the conclusion of discussions with the trade unions’. The trade unionist is referring to the start of measures to shut down the hot section in Taranto, in accordance with the decree of the Milan Court of Appeal. According to the Fiom Cgil leader, there is now “one month to secure the guarantees needed to safeguard the steel industry, jobs and people’s wages”.