MEP Gaetano Pedulla' (The Left) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission, raising concerns that Italian motorway concessionaires, including SALT SpA operating the A15 motorway, may be securing multi-year extensions without public tenders, potentially circumventing EU competition rules. The question, filed on 16 April 2026, targets the Commission's awareness of pre-notified economic and financial plans (PEFs) that reportedly include such extensions.
Pedulla' specifically asks whether the Commission has seen the pre-notified documents concerning SALT SpA and the A15 concession extension, and what steps it can take to prevent circumvention of the obligation to launch a public tender, given a 2009 agreement between Italy and the Commission that closed an earlier infringement procedure (2006/4419) on the same motorway. The A15 concession is linked to the unfinished Tyrrhenian-Brenner corridor (Ti-Bre) project.
the Commission must disclose its awareness of the pre-notified PEFs and outline possible enforcement actions. Pedulla' references press reports and a prior infringement case to frame the issue as a potential repeat of past non-compliance.
Pedulla' advocates for strict adherence to EU public procurement rules, opposing concession extensions without competitive bidding. This reflects a cleavage between competition and transparency (EU-level rules) versus national flexibility and infrastructure continuity (Italian government and concessionaires).
The Commission must reply within approximately six weeks. Its answer will signal whether it views the pre-notified plans as compliant or as a risk of circumvention, and whether it will open a new infringement procedure. The reply will clarify the Commission's stance on balancing long-term infrastructure investments with mandatory tender obligations.