«We are entering a very delicate and complex phase of the implementation of the NRP: coordination between the institutional levels now assumes great importance. In this perspective, technical assistance to local authorities is central: the forms must be defined as soon as possible, because, otherwise, there will be no more time to recover errors in setting design, selective, construction procedures, entrusted to hundreds of Municipalities. To the issues related to administrative capacity in the strict sense is added the need to avoid procedural blocks ».
The panel of the Festival of Economics on the implementation of the NRP
An all-out speech by the Undersecretary to the Prime Minister, Roberto Garofoli, concluded the panel of the Festival of Economics dedicated to the implementation of the NRP: many answers to specific questions but also the confirmation of the current plan that Garofoli summarizes in end with the need to “keep the bar straight” on implementation.
The glimmers of Repower Eu
This does not mean that it will be possible to use the openings opened by Brussels with Repower Eu on changes to Pnrr projects and on integrations, especially in the energy field. The number to say that things are progressing, albeit among critical elements, linked above all to the international context, is that of the 194 awarded procedures which have reached 43 billion. As for the objectives set for June 30, Garofoli confirmed that the government will hit them, even if he admitted, prompted by the work of the Pnrr del Sole 24 Ore Observatory, the difficulties linked to the 5G ban, which initially went deserted. Garofoli also said he was confident that the difficulties would return within the deadline.
Central purchasing bodies to help municipalities in planning
Among the really important innovations announced by the undersecretary for the implementation phase are “the central purchasing bodies to help the municipalities in planning” and the government’s commitment to prevent appeals to the TAR and administrative processes from blocking the construction of the works. «The mechanisms of judicial protection – said Garofoli – must be guaranteed, they have constitutional coverage. However, the PNRR is an absolute priority for the country and all its institutional components must be aware of it. Even judges and lawyers obviously stop the autonomy and independence of the jurisdiction. First of all, we need to raise awareness on the fact that a stringent, non-negotiable timing is associated with each project, and that the timing of justice, hearings, decisions can affect compliance with objectives “.
Garofoli added that the adequacy of the mechanism referred to in Article 125 of the Administrative Process Code is being assessed which, extended to the interventions of the NRP, provides that the contracts already stipulated remain firm despite the invalidity of the award. He added that this is a mechanism that applies only to tenders and not to procedures for allocating public resources to local authorities; it presupposes, moreover, that the contracts have already been concluded when the judicial appeal is initiated, not operating instead when the dispute precedes the stipulation of the contract “. The undersecretary at Palazzo Chigi has made it clear that other solutions are also being evaluated.