In a written answer on 1 July 2026, European Commission Executive Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis declined to assess the cost-effectiveness and environmental impact of the contested Garda cycle path section between Limone sul Garda and Riva del Garda, stating that such assessments are the primary responsibility of the Member State. The answer, responding to a question from The Left MEP Gaetano Pedulla', signals that the Commission will not intervene on the specific project's compliance with the 'do no significant harm' (DNSH) principle or its cost-efficiency, as long as Italy meets the milestones and targets set in the Council Implementing Decision (CID) for the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP).
The question had raised concerns about the project's high cost — up to EUR 28 million per kilometre according to the Italian Court of Auditors — and its environmental impact on geologically fragile, landslide-prone slopes protected under national law. Pedulla' also pointed to an alternative intermodal navigation service proposed by Lombardy Region as a greener and cheaper option. Dombrovskis, however, emphasised that the Commission's positive assessment of the investment at the time of the RRP submission covered compliance with DNSH, contribution to the green transition, and overall cost-efficiency of the Plan, but that it does not assess specific projects' environmental impact or cost-effectiveness. He noted that the first target (M2C2-22) for cycling paths, assessed under the 5th payment request, excluded the Garda cycle path, while the final target (M2C2-23) covering tourist cycle paths will be assessed under the 10th payment request. The Commission maintains a continuous dialogue with Italy to ensure compliance with the CID provisions.
The answer provides no concrete new measures or commitments, instead reiterating the existing framework. Stakeholders impacted include Italian taxpayers, who bear the cost of the project; environmental NGOs such as WWF, Italia Nostra, and Legambiente, which have opposed the project on environmental grounds; and local authorities in Trentino and Lombardy, which have diverging views on the preferred route. The Commission's hands-off approach leaves the decision firmly with Italy, potentially disappointing those seeking EU-level intervention on environmental or cost grounds.