Ex Ilva, stop temporaneo per l’area a caldo. Pronto un decreto Cig da 125 milioni

The final pouring of hot metal from Blast Furnace 2 at the Taranto plant has ceased, marking the end of production. The Acciaierie d’Italia company has informed local authorities that all productive activities in the "area a caldo" facilities, including those in Genoa and Novi, will be suspended from now until at least November 15.

This follows the approach of two key deadlines: the 90-day deadline for a decree from Italy's Court of Appeal in Milan, and the exhaustion of raw materials in the Italian steel industry, which stopped after a court ruling. The Milanese court's decree is binding and can only be challenged by the Court of Cassation, which will rule on Ilva and AdI's appeals on October 20.

For now, the government and labor unions are addressing the situation through a temporary integration fund for workers (80 million) and an extra ordinary wage fund (around 45 million) for Acciaierie d’Italia and Ilva employees. This coverage will continue until June. The government plans to issue a new decree law soon, and additional measures, such as extending Cigs to more workers or incentivized lay-offs, are under consideration.

However, there is currently an issue with coverage. During the recent judicial developments, Labor Minister Alfredo Mantovano pointed out the General Prosecutor of the Cassation's evaluations, which criticize both the risks of asbestos and fine dust. Nevertheless, Mantovano emphasizes that the prosecutor's opinion does not nullify the Milan Court's decree.

He stresses that the focus is not on entirely nullifying the Milan Court's decree but preventing the complete shutdown from nullifying any decision by the Court of Cassation that might allow the furnaces to remain operational. The aim is to avoid a complete setback for the plants. Mantovano clarifies that this is not a mechanism to invalidate the Milan Court's decree, but one that could allow the facilities to remain in standby if there are legal and economic margins.

The government's intention to focus on producing "green" steel with the Dri system and electric furnaces remains, provided there is a credible industrial plan. Resources for the Dri system are available, including funds that may initially seem partially unrelated (around 800 million) but can actually be allocated to decarbonization efforts, primarily benefiting the Taranto area.

The deadline for final bids for the assets has been extended from October 15 to November 8. The outcome of this bidding process will determine the next steps, potentially leading to an additional 400 million euros for the Dri system, bringing the total to about 1.2 billion.