State concessions

Bathing establishments, also cuisine and folklore among award criteria

In the decree approved in the Cdm that puts beach concessions out to tender by June 2027, it is in fact stated that for the purposes of evaluating the bids, the granting body will also apply among the award criteria 'the offer of integrated services that enhance the cultural, folkloristic and enogastronomic specificities of the territory'.

by Redazione Roma

6 September 2024

Balneari, proroghe al 30 settembre 2027 ma i Comuni possono anticipare le gare

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Food and wine and local folklore traditions are also among the criteria for the awarding of new beach concessions as of 2027, according to the saving decree approved by the Cdm. The text states, in fact, that for the purposes of evaluating the bids, the granting body will also apply among the award criteria 'the offer of integrated services that enhance the cultural, folkloristic and enogastronomic specificities of the territory', and 'the increase and diversification of the tourist-recreational offer', as well as the objectives of 'safeguarding the cultural heritage'.

In addition, the possibility of offering services also in periods other than the height of summer is extended. In fact, the criteria include 'the offer of specific tourist services also in periods other than high season'. Special attention is also paid to users with disabilities: 'the quality and conditions of the service offered to users will be evaluated, also in relation to the programme of interventions indicated by the bidder, with particular reference to those aimed at improving the accessibility and usability of the state-owned area, also by people with disabilities'.

Prioritise the hiring of under 36

Among the other criteria listed by the decree, in addition to obviously 'the amount offered in relation to the minimum amount', there is also the commitment to employ, prevalently or totally, 'personnel under the age of thirty-six' and 'the technical and professional experience of the bidder in relation to comparable tourist-recreational activities, including those carried out under a concession'.

Other Award Criteria

In addition, at the time of the award, it will be assessed 'whether the bidder, in the preceding five years, has used a concession as a prevailing source of income for himself and his household'. In order to ensure 'maximum participation', account will also be taken of the 'number of concessions already owned, directly or indirectly, by each bidder in the territorial reference area of the granting body'. Among the other criteria identified in the measure is also 'the number of workers of the outgoing concessionaire, who receive from this activity the main source of income for themselves and their families, that each bidder undertakes to employ in the event of the concession being awarded'.

The agreement with the EU

According to the agreement found by the government with Brussels (andapproved in the Cdm on 4 September), concessions to bathers are extended until 2027, but tenders will have to be announced by the previous June and whoever takes over will have to pay compensation to those who leave and ensure the continuity of employment of workers. The 'bathers' case finds a square. "The collaboration between Rome and Brussels," Palazzo Chigi emphasised, "has made it possible to find a balance between the need to open up the concessions market and the opportunity to protect the legitimate expectations of the current concessionaires, making it possible to conclude a long-standing and complex issue of particular importance for our country.

Tenders until 30 June 2026

The main change included in the decree is a new extension of concessions until September 2027. But in the event of 'objective reasons' preventing the completion of the tender procedures, a further possible postponement until 31 March 2028 is envisaged. In any case, the duration of the new concessions will have to be at least five years and no more than twenty, 'in order to guarantee the concessionaire to amortise the investments made'. As for the tenders, the deadline is 30 June 2027: by this date the bathing concessions will have to be auctioned.

The right to compensation

For the bathing attendants, however, the lifesaver of the indemnities has popped up, which, however, will not involve the coffers of the State. The draft, in fact, states that the outgoing concessionaire will be 'entitled to the recognition of an indemnity to be paid by the incoming concessionaire'. In practice, a sort of business start-up fee 'equal to what is necessary to guarantee the outgoing concessionaire a fair return on the investments made over the last five years'. Not only: the reform also provides for the obligation to hire workers employed in the previous concession who received from this activity the prevalent source of income for themselves and their families.