Rome, August 11 (LaPresse) – The in-person meeting between Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, and local institutions regarding the former Ilva steel plant is confirmed for tomorrow. The roundtable, involving representatives from the Puglia Region, the Province of Taranto, and the municipalities of Taranto and Statte, is scheduled for 11:30 a.m. at Palazzo Piacentini.
Following this, two video calls are planned: one at 2:00 p.m. with national trade union representatives, and another at 3:30 p.m. with business associations from the Ilva supply chain, to discuss the conclusions of the interinstitutional program agreement table.
In recent days, Taranto’s mayor, Piero Bitetti, announced that there will be no signing of the agreement proposed by the government. The city council meeting initially planned for today has been canceled.
It remains to be seen whether progress will be made on the agreement, which includes the construction of three electric arc furnaces to gradually replace the current blast furnaces (covered by the updated international tender for the sale of industrial assets), the location of DRI (direct reduced iron) plants to power the furnaces, and the issue of securing large quantities of gas, for which the government has proposed the use of a regasification vessel.
According to the Ministry, Minister Urso is awaiting clarity on the positions regarding the plan presented at the July 15 meeting, including the location of the DRI plants needed for the full decarbonization of the former Ilva site, and any alternative proposals from local authorities.