COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Italy Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report The rule of law situation in the European Union
Date: 2026-07-17
Institutions: European Commission, Secretariat-General
Subjects: Italy, administrative transparency, corruption, democracy, freedom of the press, human rights, independence of the judiciary, pluralism in the media, rule of law, whistleblowing

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 17.7.2026  SWD(2026) 912 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT 2026 Rule of Law Report                     Country Chapter on the rule of law situation in Italy Accompanying the document Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions 2026 Rule of Law Report                      The rule of law situation in the European Union {COM(2026) 900 final} - {SWD(2026) 901 final} - {SWD(2026) 902 final} - {SWD(2026) 903 final} - {SWD(2026) 904 final} - {SWD(2026) 905 final} - {SWD(2026) 906 final} - {SWD(2026) 907 final} - {SWD(2026) 908 final} - {SWD(2026) 909 final} - {SWD(2026) 910 final} - {SWD(2026) 911 final} - {SWD(2026) 913 final} - {SWD(2026) 914 final} - {SWD(2026) 915 final} - {SWD(2026) 916 final} - {SWD(2026) 917 final} - {SWD(2026) 918 final} - {SWD(2026) 919 final} - {SWD(2026) 920 final} - {SWD(2026) 921 final} - {SWD(2026) 922 final} - {SWD(2026) 923 final} - {SWD(2026) 924 final} - {SWD(2026) 925 final} - {SWD(2026) 926 final} - {SWD(2026) 927 final} - {SWD(2026) 928 final} - {SWD(2026) 929 final} - {SWD(2026) 930 final} - {SWD(2026) 931 final}  
 
 
ABSTRACT 

The recruitment of magistrates and administrative court staff continues at a good pace, with 
the aim of closing the persistent  shortages. The  Government  has launched competitions  for 
the permanent recruitment of most court clerks. Sustainability of the workload of professional 
tax  judges  and  justices  of  the  peace  is  a  challenge.  The  government  tabled  in  Parliament  a 
draft law on the legal profession, prepared in cooperation with lawyers’ associations. Further 
steps  have  been  taken  to  complete  the  digital  case  management  system  for  criminal  courts 
and prosecutors’ offices, following concrete cooperation between executive and judiciary in 
addressing  gaps  and  initial  delays.  While  a  few  elements  remain  pending,  the  first-instance 
criminal  trial  workflow  is  now  fully  digitalised.  The  positive  trend  in  reduction  of  the 
disposition time continued, while the length of judicial proceedings remains a serious issue. 
Backlog  reduction  continued,  particularly  for  the  older  cases.  In  the  absence  of  majority 
support in a referendum, the envisaged constitutional reform separating careers of judges and 
prosecutors did not materialise. 

A new national  anti-corruption strategy was adopted for the years 2026-2028. The criminal 
law framework to combat corruption has been stabilised, with the Constitutional Court ruling 
that the law restricting the scope of the offence of trading in influence is not in breach of the 
Constitution. The pace of convictions in corruption cases was maintained. While a draft law 
on  conflicts  of  interest  remains  pending  in  Parliament,  existing  rules  on  post-employment 
restrictions for local public officials were removed in August 2025. A draft law on lobbying 
was adopted in the Chamber and is being assessed in the Senate. The draft laws on political 
party  and  campaign  financing  addressing  the  issue  of  private  party  donations  being 
channelled  via  political  foundations  remain  pending  in  Parliament.  The  National  Anti-
Corruption Authority (ANAC) issued additional whistleblowing guidelines. The launch of the 
Single  Transparency  Portal  increases  transparency  of  public  procurement,  which  remains  a 
high-risk area.  

The  media  regulator  exercises  its  functions  independently  and  legislative  changes  were 
introduced to strengthen its financial autonomy. Parliamentary work is ongoing on a reform 
of the public service media’s governance and funding rules. A system of public funding is in 
place for the allocation of resources and the financing of policies and initiatives in support of 
the  media  sector.  New  legislative  initiatives  on  the  protection  of  journalists  are  under 
development,  while  physical  attacks  and  other  forms  of  intimidations  remain  a  source  of 
concern. There were no developments on the pending press defamation reform.  

The draft constitutional reform to introduce the direct election of the Prime Minister remains 
on the agenda of Parliament. Stakeholders continued to express concerns about the excessive 
use of emergency decrees and of motions of confidence, while the Chamber of Deputies took 
steps to limit their use in the future. Initial steps were taken towards establishing a National 
Human Rights Institution (NHRI). The 2025 ‘security law’ is being implemented and a new 
emergency  decree  in  the  field  of  internal  security  was  converted  into  law,  with  some 
stakeholders  raising  concern  about  their  possible  impact  on  civic  space  and  the  exercise  of 
fundamental rights and freedoms.  

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RECOMMENDATIONS   

Overall, based on the recommendations in  the 2025 Rule of Law Report, considering other 
developments  that  took  place  in  the  period  of  reference,  and  in  addition  to  recalling  the 
relevant commitments made under the Recovery and Resilience Plan and the country-specific 
recommendation  under  the  European  Semester  on  the  efficiency  of  the  justice  system,  the 
Commission concludes the following:  

•  Significant  further  progress  has  been  made  on  completing  the  digital  case  management 
system  for  criminal  courts  and  prosecutors’  offices,  as  the  first-instance  criminal  trial 
workflow  is  now  fully  digitalised.  Since  some  procedures  remain  to  be  digitalised,  it  is 
recommended to Italy to complete the digital case management system in all instances.  
•  There  has  been  no  further  progress  on  the  pending  legislative  proposal  on  conflicts  of 
interest  while  limited  progress  has  been  made  in  adopting  comprehensive  rules  on 
lobbying  to  establish  an  operational  lobbying  register  as  a  draft  law  on  lobbying  was 
adopted in the Chamber of Deputies and is being assessed by the Senate. Therefore, it is 
recommended  to  Italy  to  take  forward  legislative  efforts  to  systematically  regulate 
conflicts  of  interests  and  adopt  comprehensive  rules  on  lobbying  and  establish  an 
operational lobbying register. 

•  There  has  been  no  progress  to  address  the  practice  of  channelling  donations  through 
political foundations and associations and introduce a single electronic register for party 
and campaign finance information, as the draft laws tabled in Parliament have not been 
discussed yet.  Therefore,  it is recommended to  Italy  to accelerate efforts to  address  the 
practice  of  channelling  donations  through  political  foundations  and  associations  and 
introduce a single electronic register for party and campaign finance information. 

•  There has been no progress in the legislative process on the draft reform on defamation, 
the  protection  of  professional  secrecy  and  journalistic  sources.  Therefore,  it  is 
recommended to Italy to take forward the reform on defamation while guaranteeing press 
freedom, taking into account European standards on the protection of journalists. 

•  Limited  progress  has  been  made  to  establish  a  National  Human  Rights  Institution,  as 
initial steps were taken to relaunch the initiative while various draft laws remain pending 
in  Parliament.  Therefore,  it  is  recommended  to  Italy  to  establish  a  National  Human 
Rights Institution taking into account the UN Paris Principles. 

As regards the other 2025 recommendations, the Commission concludes that: 

•  Some  further  progress  was  made  to  ensure  that  rules  or  mechanisms  are  in  place  to 
provide  funding  for  public  service  media  that  is  appropriate  for  the  realisation  of  its 
public service remit and to guarantee its independence, as parliamentary work on a reform 
bill  has  advanced.  Given  that  the  topics  of  this  recommendation  are  covered  by  the 
provisions of the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), while the Rule of Law Report 
will  continue  to  monitor  significant  developments  and  report  on  their  impact,  further 
follow-up  will  be  ensured  as  part  of  the  Commission’s  support  to  Member  States  and 
enforcement of the EMFA. 

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I. 

JUSTICE SYSTEM1  

Independence  

The level of perceived judicial independence in Italy continues to be average among the 
general public and is now high among companies. Overall, 51% of the general population 
and 60% of companies perceive the level of independence of courts and judges to be ‘fairly 
or  very  good’  in  20262.  Among  the  general  public,  this  figure  has  increased  in  comparison 
with  2025  (46%)  and  has  significantly  increased  in  comparison  with  2022  (37%).  The 
perceived judicial independence among companies has significantly increased in comparison 
with 2025 (48%), as well as in comparison with 2022 (40%).  

In the absence of majority support in a referendum, the envisaged constitutional reform 
separating  careers  of  judges  and  prosecutors  did  not  materialise.  On  30  October  2025, 
Parliament had given final approval to the constitutional reform aimed at separating careers 
of judges and prosecutors, establishing two separate High Councils, one for judges and one 
for  prosecutors,  and  creating  a  High  Court  to  which  the  disciplinary  powers  over  ordinary 
magistrates would be transferred from the High Council for the Judiciary3. In the absence of a 
two-third  majority  support  in  Parliament,  the  reform  was  subject  to  a  constitutional 
referendum, which took place on 22-23 March 2026. A majority of voters voted against the 
proposed reform.  

Some  stakeholders  continued  to  raise  concerns  about  public  statements  by  politicians 
critical  of  the  judiciary.  Stakeholders  report  that  statements  by  Government  officials  and 
members  of  Parliament  increased  in  number  and  intensity  during  the  electoral  campaign 
ahead  of  the  constitutional  referendum4,  and  the  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary  issued 
protective  orders  in  three  cases5.  Concerns  were  expressed  at  the  highest  institutional  level 
about such statements6. According to European standards, while criticising judicial decisions 
is a normal aspect of democratic discourse, the executive and legislative powers should avoid 
criticism that undermines the independence of or public confidence in the judiciary7.  

The government tabled  in Parliament  a draft  law on the legal profession, prepared in 
cooperation with lawyers’ associations. In September 2025, the Ministry of Justice tabled 
in  Parliament  a  draft  law  on  the  legal  profession,  prepared  in  cooperation  with  lawyers’ 
associations, to update rules on professional practice, law firms, access to the profession and 

1  An overview of the institutional framework for all four pillars can be found here. 
2   Figures 48 and 50, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard and Figures 51 and 53, 2024 EU Justice Scoreboard. The 
level  of  perceived  judicial  independence  is  categorised  as  follows:  very  low  (below  30%  of  respondents 
perceive judicial independence as fairly good and very good); low (between 30-39%), average (between 40-
59%), high (between 60-75%), very high (above 75%). 

3   Draft law A.S. 1353. See 2024 Rule of Law Report, Italy, pp. 5-7, for a description of the draft reform.  
4   National Association of Magistrates (2026).   
5   Country  visit  Italy,  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary,  High  Court  of  Cassation,  National  Association  of 
Magistrates.  See  also  MEDEL  (2026),  written  input,  p.  11.  Since  July  2025,  there  have  been  three 
protective proceedings (pratica a tutela) by the High Council of the Judiciary. They all concerned judges 
and  prosecutors  of  the  Court  of  Cassation  targeted  by  political  attacks,  for  their  investigations  in  the 
Almasri case, their study on the ‘security decree’ (both in July 2025), and their decision on the text of the 
question for the referendum on the reform of the judiciary (in February 2026). 

6   Such  statements  also  related  to  ongoing  investigations  and  judicial  decisions.  President  of  the  Republic 

(2026). Court of Cassation, General Prosecutor (2026). Court of Cassation, First President (2026). 

7   Council of Europe (2010), para. 18.  

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training,  as  well  as  to  strengthen  transparency,  client  protection,  and  disciplinary 
mechanisms. The reform is under discussion in parliamentary committees8.  

Quality  

The recruitment of magistrates and administrative court staff continues at a good pace, 
with the aim of closing the persistent shortages. The Minister of Justice aims to achieve the 
full staffing of the judiciary (11 171 magistrates9) through five ongoing competitions for over 
2 000  posts10.  The  extensive  recruitment  plan  aims  to  close  the  significant  shortages  of 
ordinary magistrates, which remain at around 15-17%11. At least 626 magistrates will reach 
pension age by 202912. Among the administrative staff of ordinary courts, around one third of 
posts remain vacant. Competitions launched in 2024 are ongoing13. The staffing situation in 
different courts varies. With the exception of the Constitutional Court, which is fully staffed, 
other courts reported significant shortages of judicial and administrative staff14. The situation 
is of particular concern at the Court of Cassation, with 38% of vacant administrative posts15, 
as well as for justices of the peace and honorary judges who face a 17% shortage against an 
expected  increase  in  workload  given  new  competences16.  The  sustainability  of  the  results 
achieved in addressing the backlog of tax cases needs to be monitored. The first competition 
for professional tax judges was concluded in May 2026, and 173 tax judges have begun their 
training  programme  and  will  shortly  take  up  their  judicial  functions,  while  two  more 
competitions  are  planned.  At  the  same  time,  the  final  number  of  professional  tax  judges 
(some 576) will be just over a fourth of the current 1 966 honorary tax judges17. The honorary 
status  and  insufficient  salary  of  the  vast  majority  of  tax  judges  is  a  source  of  contention18. 
While  acknowledging  the  progress  made,  stakeholders  concur  that  continued  efforts  to  fill 

8   Draft  law  A.C.  2629  to  reform  Law  No.  247  of  2012.  National  Bar  Association  (Consiglio  Nazionale 

Forense), written input via CCBE, replies to questions 15 and 23. 
Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 6. Ministry of Justice (2026), p. 379.  

9  
10   In December 2025, 578 magistrates (laureates of the competition launched in December 2021) completed 
their  one-year  traineeship  and  entered  into  service.  In  June  2026,  355  more  magistrates  (laureate  of  the 
competition launched in October 2022) are set to assume full service. In October 2025, 339 more (laureates 
of the competition for 400 posts launched in October 2023) started their 18-month traineeship and are set to 
enter  service  in  April  2027.  Following  the  completion  of  a  competition  launched  in  April  2024,  the 
appointment of 412 new judges is imminent. Competitions for 800 additional magistrates were launched in 
December 2024 and October 2025 and are ongoing; their laureates are set to begin training by June 2027. 
Italian Government (2026), written input, pp. 7-8. Ministry of Justice (2026), pp. 302-303.   

11   1 600 - 1 800 vacancies out of 10 600 posts. Data extrapolated from: Ministry of Justice (2026), pp. 301-

305. The shortages amounted to 17% in 2024. See 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 6. 

12   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 8.  
13   Court of Cassation, First President (2026). 
14   Shortages  amounted  to 21% of  judicial  posts  at  the  Court of  Auditors,  17%  among  justices  of  the  peace, 
16%  at  the  Court  of  Cassation,  13%  among  administrative  judges,  and  55%  for  tax  judges.  Among 
administrative  personnel,  shortages  amounted  to  38%  of  posts  at  the  Court  of  Cassation,  19%  at 
administrative courts, 20% for tax courts and 14.5% at the Court of Auditors. Sources: Court of Cassation 
(2026a), pp. 288-290. High Council of the Judiciary (2025a), p. 119. Ministry of Finance (2025), pp. 43 and 
45. Court of Auditors (2026), p. 348. Country visit Italy, Council of State, Constitutional Court, Board of 
the Tax Courts. 

15   This is up from 33% and set to increase due to retirements. Court of Cassation (2026a), pp. 288-290. 
16   Data  on  28  November  2025.  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary  (2025a),  p.  119.  New  competences  had  been 
postponed from October 2025 to end June 2026 due to severe shortages of justices of the peace (65%).  

17   Country visit Italy, Board of the Tax Courts (Consiglio di Presidenza della Giustizia Tributaria).  
18   Country visit Italy, Board of the Tax Courts. Honorary tax judges are paid some €900 per month, plus €100 
per ruling (with no increase since 2006), and are not covered by pension, insurance, or maternity schemes.  

4 

 
 
judicial and administrative vacancies in the courts are necessary to improve the efficiency of 
justice19.  

The  Government  has  launched  competitions  for  the  permanent  recruitment  of  most 
court clerks funded as part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP). Recognising their 
contribution to improving the productivity of ordinary and administrative courts (clerks help 
magistrates manage cases, prepare hearings, draft judgements and digitalise proceedings), the 
Government committed to recruit, upon competitive evaluation, 9 368 court clerks, i.e. over 
80%  of  the  some  11  200  addetti  all’ufficio  per  il  processo  (AUPP)  and  administrative 
personnel still in service by the end of the RRP funding in June 202620. Authorities and most 
stakeholders agree that the clerks play a key role in increasing the efficiency and quality of 
the  justice  system,  effectively  contributing  to  the  reduction  of  backlog  and  of  the  length  of 
proceedings.  Some  stakeholders  have  called  for  court  clerks  to  maintain  judicial  and  legal 
advice  functions,  as  during  the  four  years  of  RRP  funding,  and  not  merely  administrative 
tasks,  in  their  new  permanent  posts  within  the  court  administration21.  The  decree-law  of  4 
June  2026  expanded  the  functions  of  AUPP  staff  and  extended  their  deployment  to  the 
Juvenile  Courts,  the  Surveillance  Courts  and  the  Surveillance  Offices.  The  decree-law  also 
provides that AUPP staff shall, as a general rule, be assigned to activities supporting judicial 
functions, save in cases of duly substantiated and urgent necessity. 

There  has  been  significant  further  progress  on  the  recommendation  to  complete  the 
digital  case  management  system  for  criminal  courts  and  prosecutors’  offices22.  Italy’s 
civil, administrative, tax, and accounting justice are already fully digitalised, which is helping 
to reduce disposition time, while digital solutions are being deployed to conduct and follow 
court proceedings in criminal cases23. The APP case management system24, mandatory since 
2025 in all criminal courts and prosecutors’ offices, faced system-related shortcomings which 
delayed  the  digital  transition25.  After  enacting  a  corrective  strategy,  the  Government 
announced  that  by  the  end  of  2025  the  first-instance  criminal  trial  workflow  was  fully 
digitalised26.  This  entailed  the  interoperability  between  APP  and  the  other  digital  court 
systems27, the promotion of digital templates for legal acts, the reorganisation of the digital 
trial file, the digital management of the hearing, and the strengthening of the IT infrastructure 
including  security  and  performance28.  While  some  procedures  remain  to  be  digitalised29, 

19   Court  of  Cassation,  Council  of  State,  National  Bar  Association  (2026),  written  inputs, pp.  10-11,  pp.  1-2 

and p. 11 respectively.  

20   Italian  Government  (2026),  written  input,  p.  11.  The  first  notices  of  competition  were  issued  on  17 
December 2025 for 1 660 officials and 63 assistants to be recruited from among former RRP-funded staff. 
Over  €349  million  were  allocated  for  the  recruitments  as  part  of  the  2026-2028  Integrated  Activity  and 
Organization  Plan  (PIAO).  Notices  of  competition  for  6 919  officials,  712  administrative  staff  and  1 488 
data entry operators were issued on 16 March, with entry into office foreseen on 1 July 2026. 

21   Country visit Italy, National Association of Magistrates.  
22   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended to Italy to ‘[c]omplete the digital case management system for 
criminal  courts  and  prosecutors’  offices”.  Some  progress was  previously  assessed  in  2025  and  2024,  and 
significant progress in 2023. 

23   Figures 41-47, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. The decree-law of 4 June 2026 allocated additional funding to 
the digitalisation of the justice system, to ensure connectivity and enhance digital infrastructure security. 

24   Applicativo del Processo Penale, see Decree of the Ministry of Justice No. 206 of 2024. 
25   For more details on the technical challenges, see the 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 7. 
26   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 16. 
27   Portale Notizie di Reato (PNR) and Portale Deposito Atti Penali (PDP). 
28   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 16. 
29   Procedures  that remain  possible  both  on  paper  and  online  include  the  lodging of  appeals  (impugnazioni), 
pre-trial  supervision  measures  (misure  cautelari),  and  enforcement  proceedings  (procedimenti  esecutivi). 
Appeal  courts  and  justices  of  peace  are  set  to  introduce  digital  proceedings  in  2026,  while  the  Court  of 

5 

 
 
digital  applications  are  now  interoperable  and  open  for  lawyers  and  for  police  forces30. 
According  to  the  Government,  as  from  end  of  2025,  the  digital  platform  is  the  prime 
operating system for judges, prosecutors and lawyers in first-instance criminal proceedings31. 
Significant further progress has been made on the recommendation in the 2025 Rule of Law 
Report.  

Parliament  adopted  a  Law  on  Artificial  Intelligence,  including  about  its  use  in  the 
justice system. The Law, adopted in September 2025, reserves to magistrates all decisions on 
the  interpretation  and  application  of  the  law,  while  it  promotes  the  use  of  AI  to  simplify 
support  activities32.  Implementing  decrees  adopted  on  10  June  2026  provide  for  training 
programmes on AI for judicial and administrative staff, covering both technical aspects and 
legal  issues,  including  implications  of  the  use  of  AI  systems  for  the  organisation  of  the 
judiciary and protection of individual rights33. 

Lawyers raised concerns about the mechanism for offsetting outstanding debts against 
legal aid payments. With a view to strengthening tax collection and preventing public funds 
from  being  paid  out  to  professionals  with  outstanding  tax  debts,  Italy’s  2026  budget  law 
extended the scope of the existing offset mechanism to professional payments of up to EUR 
5 000. The Bar Association expressed concerns that these rules would affect legal aid lawyers 
who already receive delayed payments from the State. The Bar Association considers that the 
new  rules  might  deter  lawyers  from  providing  legal  aid  and  risk  paralysing  the  legal  aid 
system.34  

Efficiency  

The  positive  trend  in  reduction  of  the  disposition  time  continued,  while  the  length  of 
judicial  proceedings  remains  a  serious  issue35.  Previous  judicial  reforms  that  aimed  to 
increase efficiency of the justice system are now in effect, with implementing legislation and 
by-laws in  place36.  The judiciary, Government  and Parliament cooperated  closely  to  design 
and introduce targeted measures aimed at achieving the RRP targets of reduction of backlog 
and of disposition time37. The disposition time of civil and commercial cases decreased in all 

Cassation uses separate applications that are not interoperable. Country visit, High Council of the Judiciary, 
National Association of Magistrates, Union of Italian Criminal Chambers. EJN (2025). 

30   Lawyers  can  interact  with  APP  through  the  PDP  platform,  and  police  forces  can  upload  crime  reports  in 

APP through PNR. Italian Government (2026a), additional written input.  

31   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 16.   
32   Law  No. 132  of 23  September  2025,  Article 15.  The  law states  that  it  is  to be  interpreted  and  applied  in 
conformity  with  the  EU  Regulation  2024/1689,  cf.  Art.1(2).  National  Bar  Association,  written  input  via 
CCBE, replies to question 19. 

33   Italian Government (2026a), additional written input. 
34   Law No. 199 of 30 December 2025, Art. 1, comma 725. The new rules extend the existing compensation 
mechanism  between  professionals  and  the  Treasury  for  payments  up  to  EUR  5 000.  Italian  Government 
(2026a),  additional  written  input.  The  legal  aid  scheme  provided  protection  to  over  200  000  persons  in 
2024, including minors and women victims of abuse with no income.  National Bar Association (Consiglio 
Nazionale Forense), written input via CCBE, reply to question 16.  National Bar Association (2025). The 
value of legal aid doubled in the past 10 years, to reach EUR 450 million.  

35   In the context of the European Semester, the Commission has proposed that the Council recommend Italy to 
“further reduce the backlog and disposition time of the justice system”. European Commission (2026)  212 
final, CSR 4.  

36   ‘Cartabia’ reforms, Legislative Decrees No. 149 of 2022 and No. 150 of 2022, as well as No. 44 of 2024. 

Country visit Italy, Ministry of Justice, High Council of the Judiciary.  

37   Decree-Law  No. 117 of 8 August 2025. Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 19-20. National Bar 

Association (Consiglio Nazionale Forense), written input via CCBE, replies to question 22. 

6 

 
 
instances,  reaching  1 789  days  by  end  2025  (-28.8%  compared  to  2 512  days  in  2019;  the 
RRP  target  is  -40%  by  30  June  2026).   It  remains  among  the  longest  in  the  EU,  with  an 
average  of  over  4.5  years  to  solve  civil  and  commercial  cases38.  The  disposition  time  for 
criminal cases in first instance and appeal continued to decrease39. By end 2025 it had been 
reduced  to  958  days  in  all  three  instances  (-31.2%),  exceeding  the  RRP  target  (-25%)40. 
Administrative41  and  tax  courts42  also  recorded  slight  improvements.  Italy  remains  under 
enhanced  supervision  of  the  Council  of  Europe’s  Committee  of  Ministers  as  regards  the 
length of civil and criminal proceedings43. The Government continued to pay compensation 
for the excessive duration of judicial proceedings44.   

Backlog reduction continued, particularly in the oldest cases. In 2024, the clearance rate 
was 95% for first-instance civil and commercial cases (down from 110% in 2023)45, and the 
total number of pending cases slightly increased46. The oldest cases continued being reduced 
at first, second and third instance (-9%, -9.1% and -9.4%)47. In relation to the 2019 baseline, 
the  Government  reported  a  94.9%  reduction  of  the  backlog  in  pending  civil  cases,  and  a 
99.6% reduction in pending appeals by June 2025, in line with previous RRP targets48. Work 
is  ongoing  to  achieve  the  broader  June  2026  targets,  which  aim  for  a  90%  reduction  in 
pending civil cases from 2017-2022 and pending appeals from 2018-202249. For first-instance 
criminal  cases,  the  clearance  rate  was  99.5%  (111%  in  2023)50  and  the  number  of  pending 
cases  decreased  by  1.1%51.  For  first-instance  administrative  cases,  the  clearance  rate  was 
equal  to  125%52  and  the  number  of  pending  cases  decreased  by  some  12.5%53.  Tax  courts 
reported  a  clearance  rate  in  2024  of  90.5%  in  first  instance  and  of  126.5%  in  appeal54.  As 

38   In  2025,  the  disposition  time  of  civil  and  commercial  cases  decreased  by  53  days  in  first  instance  (435 
days), by 84 days in appeal (to 492 days) and by 76 days in  cassation (to 863 days). ISTAT (2026). The 
disposition time in litigious civil and commercial cases in first-instance courts had increased to 584 days in 
2024 from 511 in 2023. Figures 6, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard.  

39   In 2025, the disposition time in criminal cases decreased by 4 days in first instance (312 days) and by 83 

days in appeal (to 524 days) while it increased by 41 days in cassation (to 122 days). ISTAT (2026).  

40   ISTAT (2026). The RRP target is of 1 044 days compared to the 1 392 days to solve criminal cases in 2019.  
41   The time needed to resolve administrative cases in all instances fell by 46 days (803 days in 2025 against 
849 in 2024; 976 in 2023). Country visit Italy, Council of State. In first instance, administrative cases took 
483 days in 2024 (595 in 2023), still among the longest in the EU. Figure 7, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
42   The time needed to resolve tax cases fell by 66 days in first instance (373 days in 2024 against 439 in 2023) 
and by 20 days in appeal (947 days against 967 in 2023). Country visit Italy, Board of the Tax Courts.  

43   Council of Europe, Table of cases under enhanced supervision of the Committee of Ministers. 
44   In 2025, Italy paid EUR 111 709 231 in compensation to some 100 000 persons for the excessive duration 
of judicial proceedings. Via the PagaPinto digital platform, Italy aims to compensate some 80 000 persons 
within two years for some EUR 400 million in total. Ministry of Justice (2026), p. 250. 

45   Figure 10, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.10.5 (EC). 
46   2 912 061  cases  (+0.8%).  The  increase  concerned  in particular  the  Justices  of  the  Peace  (+5.4%)  and  the 

ordinary courts (+1.8%), while decreases were noted in appeal (-7.5%) and cassation (-5.5%). 

47   Ministry of Justice (2026), p. 564. 
48   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 18. 
49   Milestone M1C1-47 and target T1C1-48 in the RRP monitoring framework. 
50   CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.13.3. 
51   It decreased by 3.4% at the judicial decision stage, while it increased by 1.9% at the prosecution stage. Data 

by 30 September 2025. Ministry of Justice (2026), p. 572.  

52   Figure 11, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. It was 78% in 2023 and 95% in 2022.  
53   Figure 11, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. CEPEJ (2026), Table 3.3.3. 
54   Country visit Italy, Board of the Tax Courts.  

7 

 
 
regards audit courts, the clearance rate in 2024 was 98%55. With RRP support, extraordinary 
measures were adopted to address the backlog in civil cases in specific geographical areas56.  

The  reform  of  mediation  continues  being  implemented,  with  the  aim  of  reducing  the 
number of legal proceedings through increased uptake of alternative dispute resolution 
tools.  While  preliminary  data  points  to  a  slight  increase  in  take-up  and  success  rates,  the 
reform’s  impact  remains  to  be  assessed57.  Business  stakeholders  highlight  the  potential  of 
mediation  to  contribute  effectively  to  reducing  litigation,  and  call  for  further  measures  to 
promote  its  uptake,  including  by  promoting  training  and  information  measures  aimed  at 
judges, as well as at economic operators and citizens58.   

II. 

ANTI-CORRUPTION FRAMEWORK  

The  perception  among  experts,  citizens  and  business  executives  is  that  the  level  of 
corruption  in  the  public  sector  remains  relatively  high.  In  the  2025  Corruption 
Perceptions  Index  by  Transparency  International,  Italy  scores  53/100  and  ranks  19th  in  the 
European  Union  and  52nd  globally59.  This  perception  is  relatively  stable  over  the  past  five 
years.60  The  2026  Special  Eurobarometer  on  Corruption  shows  that  82%  of  respondents 
consider corruption widespread in their country (EU average 71%) and 42% of respondents 
feel  personally  affected  by  corruption  in  their  daily  lives  (EU  average  30%).  As  regards 
businesses, 77% of companies consider that corruption is widespread (EU average 65%) and 
41%  consider  that  corruption  is  a  problem  when  doing  business  (EU  average  37%). 
Furthermore, 43% of respondents find that there are enough successful prosecutions to deter 
people  from  corrupt  practices  (EU  average  38%),  while  47%  of  companies  believe  that 
people  and  businesses  caught  for  bribing  a  senior  official  are  appropriately  punished  (EU 
average 31%)61. 

A  new  anti-corruption  strategy  was  adopted  for  the  years  2026-2028.  In  January  2026, 
the  National  Anti-Corruption  Authority  (ANAC)  adopted  a  national  anti-corruption  plan 
which includes, for the first time, a multiannual strategy for the prevention of corruption and 
the  promotion  of  transparency  and  integrity  for  the  years  2026-202862.  The  national  anti-
corruption  plan  focuses  on  public  contracts,  ineligibility  and  incompatibilities  for  public 
officials, and transparency in the public administration. The multiannual strategy comprises a 
list of actions linked to milestones, targets and indicators.  

55   2025 Rule of Law Report Italy, p. 8.  
56   These  included  magistrates  volunteering  to  work  remotely  for  other  courts,  financial  incentives,  staff 
increases in targeted appeal courts. Additional measures concerned staff increases in targeted appeal courts, 
honorary  magistrates  deployed  to  fill  vacancies,  workload  reorganisation,  and  shortened  traineeships  for 
new magistrates. Italian Government (2026), written input, pp. 11, 19. 

57   New cases have increased by 1% (+87 416), and by 14% compared to 2022. A third of cases are closed by 
agreement at the first mediation meeting. Success rate  at following meetings increased from 45% in June 
2019 to 52.7% in June 2025. Country visit Italy, Ministry of Justice.  

58   Confindustria (2026), written input, pp. 10-11. 
59   The level of perceived corruption is categorised as follows: low (above 79); relatively low (between 79-60), 

relatively high (between 59-50), high (below 50). 

60   In 2021, the score was 56, while, in 2025, the score is 53. The score significantly increases/decreases when 
it changes more than five points; improves/deteriorates (changes between 4-5 points) and is relatively stable 
(changes from 1-3 points) in the last five years. 

61   Data from Special Eurobarometer 573 (2026) and Flash Eurobarometer 582 (2026).  
62   ANAC (2026b). 

8 

 
 
The  criminal  law  framework  to  combat  corruption  has  been  stabilised,  with  the 
Constitutional Court ruling that the law restricting the scope of the offence of trading in 
influence is not in breach of the Constitution. In December 2025, the Constitutional Court 
ruled that the law restricting the scope of the offence of trading in influence is not in breach 
of  the  Constitution.  At  the  same  time,  the  Court  noted  that  introducing  a  comprehensive 
framework  on  interest  representation  could  help  to  distinguish  legitimate  forms  of  interest 
representation  from  criminal  conducts  (trading  in  influence)63.  Alongside  the  repeal  of  the 
offence of abuse of office, which in May 2025 was also held by the Constitutional Court not 
to  be in  breach of the Constitution,  and the restriction  in  scope of the offence of trading  in 
influence64,  a  new  offence  of  embezzlement  had  been  introduced  in  2024  to  sanction 
unlawful conduct in the management of public money65. In light of the revised criminal law 
framework66, civil society67, judicial actors68 and ANAC69 have called for the introduction of 
additional  administrative  or  disciplinary  measures  to  strengthen  the  overall  framework  to 
combat corruption in Italy.  

The  pace  of  convictions  in  corruption  cases  was  maintained.  In  2024,  the  authorities 
registered 1 673 criminal convictions for individuals (1 709 in 2023) and 39 for legal persons 
(31  in  2023).  The  rate  of  suspended  convictions  (60%  in  2024)  remained  as  high  as  in 
previous years70. The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) investigated 24 corruption 
cases in 202571. The ultimate beneficial ownership register was reformed in January 202672, 
but  remains  suspended73.  The  human,  financial  and  technical  resources  of  the  investigation 
and  prosecution  services  dealing  with  corruption  offences  remained  stable74.  Stakeholders 
continue  to  raise  a  few  concerns  regarding  the  lack  of  enforcement  of  foreign  bribery 
offences, while authorities refer to the existence of ongoing investigations75.  

Constitutional review is ongoing on the law reforming the Court of Auditors, which has 
extended  the  list  of  acts  eligible  for  preventive  control  by  the  Court  and  introduced, 
under certain conditions, a presumption of good faith of office holders. Public authorities 
that  submit  award  decisions  to  the  Court  of  Auditors  for  ex  ante  review  shall  not  be  held 
liable  for  the  decisions  taken  if  the  Court  has  not  pronounced  itself  on  the  content  of  the 

63   In  its  judgment  185/2025,  the  Constitutional  Court  found  that  the  revised  offence  does  not  violate  the 
Criminal  Law  Convention  on  Corruption  of  the  Council  of  Europe  and  therefore  Italy’s  international 
obligations under the Constitution. Ibid., para. 6.  

64   Law No. 114 of 9 August 2024 restricted the scope of trading in influence to existing relationships with a 

public official and to the giving or promise of money or other economic benefits. 

65   Article 314-bis of the Criminal Code (peculato per distrazione / embezzlement by diversion). Country visit 

Italy, Ministry of Justice. See also 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 9.  

66   See in particular Chapter I of the Italian Criminal Code, Articles 314 to 335a, on crimes of public officials 

against the public administration, including corruption offences.   

67   Dem.e.tra and Transparency International Italy (2026), written inputs, p. 16 and 16 respectively.  
68   Country visit Italy, Court of Cassation and Court of Auditors.  
69   ANAC (2025c), p. 7. 
70   Country visit Italy, Ministry of Interior. Due to a backlog in the data collection, the data for 2025 are not yet 

up to date. 

71   EPPO (2026), written input, pp. 33. This number accounts for 2.42% of the EPPO’s total cases in Italy.  
72   Legislative Decree No. 210 of 2025.  
73   The suspension was decided pending a decision from the Court of Justice of the EU to a question filed by 
the  Council of State. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 10. Once again in place, the register would help 
authorities in the fight against fraud and corruption. Country visit Italy, Court of Auditors.  

74   Ministry of Justice (2026), written input.  
75   23 OECD recommendations related to the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention remained not implemented and 
7 other recommendations were partially implemented. OECD (2024), p. 5. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, 
p. 10. Country visit Italy, Ministry of Justice. ReCommon (2026), written input, p. 3.   

9 

 
 
decision within 30 days (extendable up to 90 days). With the reform, this rule of silent assent 
has  been  expanded  to  public  contracts  related  to  the  RRP  (mandatory  submission)  and  to 
decisions  by  regions  and  local  authorities  (optional  submission).  Furthermore,  the  reform 
establishes that holders of political offices are presumed to act with good faith – until proven 
otherwise – when adopting acts that were proposed, endorsed or signed by the heads of the 
administration.  This  provision  applies  exclusively  in  cases  where  no  wilful  misconduct  is 
involved and where all technical and administrative opinions issued by the administration are 
wholly  favourable76.  According  to  the  government,  the  reform  of  the  Court  of  Auditors,  in 
force since January 2026, aims to increase the efficiency of the institution by rebalancing its 
workload  and  by  strengthening  the  Court’s  audit  and  oversight  functions,  including  its 
concurrent control powers, and to facilitate the approval of public contracts77. Concerns have 
been  voiced,  including  by  the  association  of  magistrates  of  the  Court  of  Auditors,  that  the 
Court might not have the required resources to timely and thoroughly analyse such decisions 
and that this might  reduce the effective supervision  of  public spending and, in  turn, protect 
public  officials  from  possible  (criminal)  investigations  in  the  future78.  In  April  2026,  the 
Court of Auditors challenged the law before the Constitutional Court79. 

No  further  discussions  took  place  in  Parliament  on  the  draft  law  on  conflicts  of 
interest80. Although some fragmented rules are in place on conflicts of interest for members 
of  the  government,  Italy  is  still  lacking  comprehensive  rules  on  conflicts  of  interest  for 
political  office  holders,  including  members  of  Parliament81.  A  draft  law  on  conflicts  of 
interest82  remains  pending  and  no  further  discussions  have  taken  place  in  Parliament.  The 
network  of  corruption  prevention  and  transparency  officers  established  by  the  National 
School  of  Administration  developed  a  handbook  of  good  practices  on  how  to  deal  with 
conflicts of interest83. The national anti-corruption plan for the year 2025 includes a guidance 
document  on  the  rules  on  ineligibility  and  incompatibility  in  the  public  sector  in  order  to 
support administrations in the application of these rules84. The Guardia di Finanza updated 
its  code  of  ethics  and  established  the  possibility  for  staff  to  submit  questions  and  receive 

76   Italian government (2026a), additional written input. 
77   Law  No.  1  of  2026.  For  the  first  time,  the  law  introduces  a  definition  of  ‘gross  negligence’  for  all 
administrative cases (before, it was left to the interpretation of the judge in each case) which narrows the 
concept to a few cases such as a manifest breach of the applicable rules. In the event of gross negligence, 
the compensation of damage in favour of the state is capped at 30% of the affected fund and cannot exceed 
the double of the annual salary of the person responsible. With these rules in place, the Court of Auditors 
expects  the  deterrent  effect of  the  rules  to  be  reduced  as  well  as  a  decrease  of  the  amounts  that  the  state 
recovers via judgments by the Court. Country visit Italy, Court of Auditors.  

78    CILD, Dem.e.tra (2026), written input, p. 24 and p. 37 respectively. Country visit Italy, ANAC and Court of 

Cassation. Association of Magistrates of the Court of Auditors (2025).  

79    Constitutional  Court,  pending  appeals,  available  at  https://www.cortecostituzionale.it/sfoglia-ricorsi.  The 
implementing  decrees  provided  for  under  Law  No.  1  of  2026  are  currently  being  drafted.  Italian 
government (2026a), additional written input.  

80   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended Italy to ‘adopt the pending legislative proposal on conflicts of 

interest’. Some progress was previously assessed on this recommendation in 2025, 2024 and 2023. 

81   2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Italy,  p.  11.  Some  rules  are  in  place  (see  in  particular  Law  no.  215/2004  on 
conflicts of interest for members of the government), which include some disclosure obligations for holders 
of government office, in particular for assets. See also GRECO (2024), p. 21-22.  

82   After approval by the Chamber of Deputies on 28 May 2024, the draft law on conflicts of interest remains 

pending at the Senate.  

83    National School of Administration (2026).  
84    ANAC  (2026b).  ANAC  issued  this  guidance  document  to  mitigate  the  severe  fragmentation  of  norms 
across legal acts. ANAC (2026a), p.9.  The national anti-corruption plan includes the objective of adopting 
standardised  declaration  templates  and  strengthening  random  checks  on  appointments  within  the  public 
administration to effectively enhance oversight.  

10 

 
 
practical guidance on ethical issues85. Existing rules on post-employment restrictions for local 
public  officials  were  removed  in  August  202586,  allowing  members  of  local  and  regional 
councils and executives to be appointed as directors of publicly controlled companies without 
a cooling-off period. ANAC and civil society have called upon the government to reintroduce 
the previous ineligibility rules87. Therefore, there has been no progress on the implementation 
of the recommendation.  

A draft law on lobbying was adopted in the Chamber of Deputies and is being assessed 
in the Senate88. The lack of a comprehensive regulation of lobbying activities continues to be 
perceived  as  one  of  the  main  shortcomings  of  the  national  integrity  system89.  The 
Constitutional  Court  called  upon  the  Parliament  to  introduce  a  regulation  on  lobbying 
activities90. In January 2026, the Chamber of Deputies adopted a draft law on lobbying which 
remains  pending  in  the  Senate91.  The  draft  law  includes  disclosure  obligations  for  interest 
representatives, while exempting  trade unions and employers’ associations.  It  also  does not 
include a legislative footprint and professional lobbying firms would not have to indicate on 
whose behalf they perform an interest representation activity. At the same time, the Ministry 
of  Defence  has  introduced  a  voluntary  transparency  register  where  the  meetings  with 
stakeholders  from  the  defence  industry  will  be  published92.  Therefore,  limited  progress  has 
been made to implement the recommendation.  

With several draft laws pending in Parliament, there has been no progress in relation to 
the  financing  of  political  parties  and  campaigns  by  donations  through  political 
foundations  and  associations93.  The  persistent  practice  of  private  party  donations  could 
impede public accountability and result in disproportionate influence of private donors on the 
political  agenda94.  The  draft  laws  tabled  in  Parliament  to  address  this  long-standing  issue 
have  not  been  discussed  yet95,  neither  has  the  draft  law  to  increase  the  autonomy  of  the 
Committee for Transparency and Control of Political  Parties and Political  Movements. The 
human  and  financial  resources  of  the  Committee  were  increased  in  202596.  Since  the  draft 
laws  are  still  pending,  there  has  been  no  progress  yet  regarding  the  implementation  of  the 
recommendations.  

85   Guardia di Finanza (2025).  
86   Law no. 122 of 8 August 2025, Article 2 repealing Article 7 of legislative decree no. 39 of 8 April 2013.  
87   ANAC  (2025c),  pp.  7-8.  Country  visit  Italy,  CILD  and  Dem.e.tra.  Similarly  to  previous  interventions  in 
2024  and  2025,  ANAC  called  for  a  comprehensive  overhaul  of  the  rules  governing  the  ineligibility  for 
public office.  ANAC (2025b).  

88   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended Italy to ‘adopt comprehensive rules on lobbying to establish 
an  operational  lobbying  register,  including  a  legislative  footprint’.  Limited  progress  was  previously 
assessed on this recommendation in 2025, no progress in 2024 and limited progress in 2023. 

89   2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 12. Country visit Italy, The Good Lobby.  
90   Constitutional Court, judgement No. 185 of 16 December 2025.   
91   Draft law A.C. 2336 (Disciplina dell’attività di relazioni istituzionali per la rappresentanza di interessi).  
92   Ministry of Defence, Ministerial Decree of 29 October 2025, available here.  
93   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  Italy  to  “effectively  and  swiftly  address  the  practice  of 
channelling donations through political foundations and associations and introduce single electronic register 
for party and campaign finance information”. No progress was previously assessed on this recommendation 
in 2025 and 2024 and some progress in 2023.  

94   2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 12. Italy prohibits direct public funding to political parties, including for 
political  campaigns.  Since  2014,  political  parties  are  required  to  finance  themselves  almost  exclusively 
through private donations from individual donors or legal entities. European Parliament (2021), p. 28. Civil 
Liberties Union for Europe (2026a), pp. 445-446.  

95   Country visit Italy, Ministry of Justice. 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 13.  
96  See 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 14.  

11 

 
 
The  National  Authority  Against  Corruption  (ANAC)  issued  additional  whistleblowing 
guidelines. In November 2025, ANAC issued guidelines on whistleblowing through internal 
reporting channels which complement the guidelines on external reporting adopted in 202397. 
In 2025, the number of whistleblower reports submitted to ANAC continued to rise (around 
40%  increase  compared  to  2024)  while  the  number  of  reports  that  ANAC  deemed 
inadmissible  or  rejected  is  also  significant  (55%  of  all  reports  received,  up  from  35%  in 
2024)98.  In  2025,  ANAC  saw  a  slight  decrease  in  its  monitoring  activities  and  a  decrease 
(about 60%) in its sanctioning activities99.   

The  launch  of  the  Single  Transparency  Portal  increases  transparency  of  public 
procurement which remains a high-risk area. Businesses’ attitudes towards corruption in 
the  EU  show  that  34%  of  companies  in  Italy  (EU  average  30%)  think  that  corruption  has 
prevented  them  from  winning  a  public  tender  in  practice  in  the  last  three  years100.  71%  of 
businesses  perceive  the  level  of  independence  of  the  public  procurement  review  body 
(Regional Administrative Tribunals and the Council of State) as very or fairly good when it is 
reviewing public procurement cases101. The Single Market and Competitiveness Scoreboard 
on  access  to  public  procurement  in  Italy  reports  39%  of  single  bids  for  2025  (27%  EU 
average).  Stakeholders  report  concerns  about  contracts  being  artificially  split  to  keep  their 
value   just below the threshold (EUR 140 000) requiring a competitive tender procedure102. 
The updated code of public procurement continues to be implemented, but its impact on the 
effectiveness  and 
transparency  of  public  procurement  has  not  yet  been  assessed 
conclusively103.  The  national  anti-corruption  strategy  includes  an  action  point  aiming  to 
strengthen  the  skills  of  administrators  working  in  the  field  of  public  procurement104.  The 
Single Transparency Portal, managed by ANAC, went online in September 2025. It collects 
data on whether public and private entities fulfil their legal transparency requirements105 and 
allows to consult all publicly available data on public procurement online106. Regarding other 
high-risk  areas  for  corruption,  in  addition  to  public  procurement,  ANAC  identified 
healthcare, as well as waste and land management107.   

97   ANAC (2025a). Stakeholders welcomed the publication of these guidelines. Confindustria (2026), written 

input, p. 16.  

98   1 931 reports were filed in 2025; 1 517 from the public sector and 414 from the private sector. 460 reports 
were considered inadmissible, 607 were rejected, 397 were forwarded to the competent authorities and 467 
were examined by ANAC. ANAC (2026), written input, pp. 6-7. Industry representatives also mention the 
need for better awareness on how to use whistleblowing channels. Country visit Italy, Confindustria.  
99   In  2025,  ANAC  examined  4  459  incoming  communications  (5  029  in  2024)  and  opened  333  cases,  of 
which  208  were  supervisory  and  26  sanctioning  proceedings  (450  and  61  in  2024).  Country  visit  Italy, 
ANAC.  

100   Flash  Eurobarometer  582  on  Businesses’  attitudes  towards  corruption  in  the  EU  (2026).  This  is  four 

percentage points above the EU average. 
101   Figure 59, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 
102   ANAC (2026a), p. 23. Confindustria (2026), written input, p. 4.  
103   While some stakeholders, including ANAC, have voiced concerns that the new rules reduce obligations of 
public authorities to ensure their impartiality in procurement procedures, industry representatives describe 
the  updated  code  as  a  results-oriented  approach  facilitating  procurement  procedures.  Country  visit  Italy, 
ANAC, Confindustria. Court of Cassation (2026), written input, pp. 9-10.  

104   ANAC (2026b), p. 36 
105   ANAC (2026b), p. 68. ANAC (2026), written input, p. 4. Legislative Decree No. 33 of 2013. 
106   Country visit Italy, ANAC.   
107   ANAC (2026), written input, p. 10.  

12 

 
 
III.  MEDIA PLURALISM AND MEDIA FREEDOM  

The media regulator continues to exercise its functions independently, and its financial 
autonomy  has  been  reinforced.  The  media  regulator,  the  Communication  Regulatory 
Authority  (AGCOM),  relies  on  a  well-established  legal  framework  safeguarding  its 
functional  autonomy  and  the  independent  exercise  of  its  regulatory  powers108.  The  self-
financing system of AGCOM, based on contributions that the regulator collects from entities 
operating under its regulatory remit, has been adjusted to reinforce its financial independence 
and stability109. Following a recently concluded recruitment cycle, staffing levels of AGCOM 
are  expected  to  increase,  which  should  contribute  to  the  authority’s  capacity  to  address  its 
expanding regulatory functions, particularly in the digital domain110.   

The  reform  of  public  service  media’s  governance  and  funding  rules  continued,  with  a 
legislative  draft  under  consideration  by  the  Parliament111.  As  part  of  its  public  service 
mission,  the  media  service  broadcaster  RAI  -  Radiotelevisione  Italiana  strives  to  ensure 
effective news and current affairs coverage, and to improve the safety and working conditions 
of its journalists112. With a view to aligning with EMFA, a draft proposal113 to reform RAI’s 
governance  and  funding  rules  is  under  consideration  in  the  Senate114.  The  Government 
indicated  that  the  draft  is  aimed  at  strengthening  the  independence  of  RAI  and  better 
safeguarding its financial stability115. Although stakeholders deemed that some aspects of the 
reform seem to go in the right direction, they are also of the view that the proposed changes 
to  RAI’s  governance  and  funding  can  be  improved116.  At  the  same  time,  concerns  remain 
regarding risks to its independent functioning and financial viability. Although RAI indicated 
that  the  delay  in  appointing  the  President  of  its  management  board  did  not  affect  its 

108   2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Italy,  p.  14,  The  Media  Pluralisms  Monitor  (MPM)  2026  assesses  the 
independence and effectiveness of AGCOM at low risk, 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor, pp. 8, 13 and 20-
21. As part of its monitoring tasks of the news media system, AGCOM is preparing a study on news media 
journalism  in  Italy  and  the  main  challenges  and  transformations  affecting  the profession,  in  collaboration 
with  relevant  media  stakeholders.  Italian  Government  (2026),  written  input,  pp.  31-32;  AGCOM  (2026), 
written input, p. 6; Country visit Italy, AGCOM. 

109   2026  Media  Pluralism  Monitor,  p.  21.  The  2026  Budget  Law  clarified  that  the  self-financing  system  is 
solely based on contributions from AGCOM’s regulated entities and cannot rely on state funding or public 
contributions, thus reinforcing financial autonomy of the regulator. The budget law also clarified that these 
contributions  are  a  tax  and  not  a  levy,  with  the  aim  to  provide  more  stability  and  certainty  regarding 
available resources for the regulator. Country visit Italy, AGCOM.  

110  This  is  particularly  the  case  in  relation  to  the  new  competences  acquired  by  AGCOM  as  digital  services 
coordinator under the Digital Services Act. Country visit Italy, AGCOM. 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor, 
pp. 20-21. 

111   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended Italy to “advance with the ongoing legislative work to ensure 
that rules or mechanisms are in place to provide funding for public service media that is appropriate for the 
realisation  of  its  public  service  remit  and  to  guarantee  its  independence”.  Some  progress  was  previously 
assessed on this recommendation in 2025. 

112   RAI (2026), written input, p.11; Country visit Italy, RAI.   
113   The draft proposal was formulated by consolidating the different proposals presented in the Senate in 2024. 

Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 3; 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 14. 

114   Changes  include  the  extension  of  the  term  of  office  of  the  members  of  RAI’s  management  board,  the 
elimination of direct appointment powers of members of RAI’s management board by the Government, the 
introduction  of  a  cap  to  yearly  potential  reductions  to  the  amount  of  licence  fee  for  RAI,  Italian 
Government, RAI, FNSI, CILD, Ordine dei Giornalisti, and OBCT (2026), written inputs, pp. 3-4, pp. 1, 5 
and 6, p. 16, p. 26 and 28, pp. 14 and 17, and pp. 14 and 16-17, respectively. 

115 Italian Government (2026), written input, pp. 3-4; Country visit Italy, Italian Government. 
116  OBCT,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  FNSI,  RAI  and  CILD  (2026),  written  inputs,  and  RAI  (2026)  additional 
written inputs, pp. 14 and 17, pp.14 and 17, pp.16-17, pp. 5-6, p. 26, and pp. 6-9 respectively; 2026 Media 
Pluralism  Monitor,  pp.  42-43;  Country  visit  Italy,  FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  Ossigeno  per 
l’informazione, and OBCT. 

13 

 
 
operations117,  some  stakeholders  considered  the  political  stalemate  and  inability  to  find 
consensus on the appointment to be an illustration of the shortcomings of the current rules in 
effectively shielding RAI from risks of undue influence118. While the Government indicated 
that  the  EUR 10 million  reduction  in  public  funding  for  RAI  in  2026  was  intended  to 
rationalise RAI’s operating costs119, stakeholders expressed concerns regarding its impact on 
the public service media’s financial stability and predictability120. RAI deemed the new cost-
containment requirements for 2026 and 2027 to be a risk to its financial viability and ability 
to effectively compete on the market121. Against this background, there has been some further 
progress on the recommendation made in the 2025 Rule of Law Report. 

A  dedicated  system  to  support  the  media  sector  is  in  place  while  the  rules  on  media 
market concentrations were updated. A system of public funding, the primary instrument 
of it being the Single Fund 122, is in place to support the media sector123. In 2025, the national 
framework  on  media  market  concentrations  has  been  adjusted  to  clarify  that  AGCOM’s 
assessment  powers  regarding  positions  of  significant  market  power,  detrimental  to  media 
pluralism,  also  cover  transactions  involving  online  players  such  as  video-sharing  platforms 
and  social  networks124.  Stakeholders  mentioned  overregulation  and  related  competitive 
disadvantages compared to online players as among the main challenges for the creative and 
cultural sector’s sustainability125. 

New legislative initiatives on the protection of journalists are under development, while 
physical attacks and other forms of intimidations remain a source of concern. The legal 
framework  provides  specific  protection  protocols  for  journalists  under  threats.126  The 
Specialised  Coordination  Centre,  established  within  the  Ministry  of  Interior,  monitors  and 
reports  about  cases  of  intimidation  against  journalists,  promotes  exchanges  of  information 
and  views  on  potential  new  policy  initiatives127,  and  continues  to  be  considered  by  media 

117 According to applicable rules, in case the office of President remains vacant, its duties are carried out by the 
most senior member of the management board, ensuring continuity of editorial and administrative activities. 
RAI (2026), written input, pp. 5-6; Country visit Italy, RAI. 

118   FNSI, CILD, OBCT, and Reporters Without Borders (2026), written inputs, p. 16, p.28, p. 16, and pp. 15-
16  respectively;  The  MPM  2026  confirms  a  high  risk  indicator  for  the  independence  of  public  service 
media, as in 2025, 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor, pp. 9,10, and 42-44; Country visit Italy, FNSI, Ordine 
dei Giornalisti, OBCT, and Ossigeno per l’informazione. 
119   Italian Government (2026a), additional written input, p. 1. 
120   RAI,  CILD,  FNSI,  and  OBCT  (2026),  written  inputs,  p.  4,  pp.  26  and  28,  p.  16,  and  pp.  15  and  17 
respectively;  Country  visit  Italy,  RAI,  FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  Ossigeno  per  l’informazione,  and 
OBCT. 

121   RAI (2026), written input, p. 4; and RAI (2026a), additional written input, pp. 3-5; Country visit Italy, RAI.  
122   Single  Fund  for  Pluralism  and  Digital  Innovation  in  Information  and  Publishing,  Italian  Government 

(2026), written input, pp. 27-30.  

123  Some stakeholders indicated the opportunity to re-adjust the Single Fund’s allocation criteria to make the 
distribution of public resources more efficient, better support innovation and mitigate the challenges of the 
news  desertification  affecting  local  information.  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti  (2026),  written  input  p.  2;  2026 
Media Pluralism Monitor, pp. 32, 41-42, and 50.  

124   AGCOM  (2025),  Resolution  251/25/CONS;  Italian  Government  (2026),  written  input,  p.  25;  AGCOM 

(2026), written input, pp. 2-4; Country visit Italy, AGCOM. 

125   Confindustria (2026), written input, pp. 1-3; Country visit Italy, Confindustria Radio Televisioni. 
126  Italy’s  Ministry  of  Interior  is  responsible  for  the  protection  of  persons  under  serious  threats,  including 
journalists.  The  Ministry  can adopt  protection measures  tailored  to  the  level  of  risk.  By June  2026,  there 
were  29  journalists  under  protective  measures  in  Italy.  In  addition,  the  Specialised  Coordination  Centre 
ensures  a  dedicated  institutional  arrangement  gathering  representatives  from  the  Ministry  of  Interior  and 
from media and journalists’ associations, Italian Government (2026) written input, pp. 32-33.  

127   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 33; Country visit Italy, Ministry of Interior. 

14 

 
 
stakeholders  as  a  good  practice  to  support  journalists’  safety128.  Precarious  working 
conditions129  and  exposure  to  attacks,  threats  and  other  forms  of  intimidation,  including 
through  vexatious  legal  actions,  some  of  them  identified  as  SLAPPs130,  remain  a  source  of 
concern  for  journalists131.  The  Italian  Government  is  yet  to  adopt  secondary  legislation  to 
transpose  the  Anti-SLAPP  Directive132.  Stakeholders  indicated  a  worsening  of  the  situation 
with  an  increase  of  cases  of  physical  attacks  and  threats  in  the  second  half  of  2025,  which 
also included serious incidents like a bombing attack against a journalist and host of a RAI 
programme133,  and  the  storming  by  protesters  of  the  offices  of  a  daily  newspaper134.  The 
Prosecutor’s  Offices  of  Rome  and  Naples  continue  investigating  on  the  Paragon  spyware 
case, including to identify the perpetrators135. Also, no new developments were reported on 
the regulation of access to and disclosure of certain judicial information by journalists, with 
stakeholders  reiterating  their  concerns  about  the  impact  of  these  rules  on  freedom  of 
information  and  press  freedom136,  while  the  Government  considers  that  they  ensure  a  fair 
balance  between  the  presumption  of  innocence  and  freedom  of  information.  Since  the 
publication of the 2025 Rule of Law Report, the Council of Europe’s platform to promote the 
protection  of  journalism  and  safety  of  journalists  registered  20  alerts  concerning  Italy:  13 
cases  of  physical  attacks  against  journalists,  5  cases  of  harassment  and  intimidation  of 

128   Ordine dei Giornalisti (2026), written input, p. 18; Country visit Italy, FNSI, Ordine dei Giornalisti, OBCT, 

and Ossigeno per l’informazione.  

129   Average  annual  gross  earnings  for  freelancers  and  journalists  with  term-contracts  amount  to  EUR 17 000 
and EUR 11 000 respectively, which means less than EUR 1 000 net per month, undermining the economic 
conditions  of  journalist  and  making  them  more  vulnerable,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti  (2026),  written  input; 
Country visit Italy, FNSI.   

130  Strategic  Lawsuits  Against  Public  Participation  (SLAPP).  FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  Ossigeno  per 
l’Informazione,  CILD,  OBCT  (2026),  written  inputs,  p.  19,  p.  19,  pp.  7  and  19,  p.  30,  pp.  19-20 
respectively; 2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p.18; 2026 Media Pluralism Monitor, pp. 13-15. Stakeholders 
reported that 93 cases of SLAPPs affecting journalists were documented in 2025, Ordine dei Giornalisti and 
Ossigeno per l’informazione (2026), written inputs, p. 19 and p. 7 respectively.  

131   FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  CILD,  RAI,  OBCT,  Articolo  21,  Reporters  Without  Borders,  Ossigeno  per 
l’informazione and Civil Society Europe (2026), written inputs, pp. 17 and 19, p. 15 and 19, p. 30, pp. 9-10, 
pp.  17-20,  p.  17,  p.  17,  pp.  7  and  18-20,  and  p.  7  respectively;  Country  visit  Italy,  FNSI,  Ordine  dei 
Giornalisti, OBCT, and Ossigeno per l’informazione. 

132   Article 6 of the European Delegation Law No. 36 of 9 April 2026 provides the required legal basis for the 
Government  to  adopt  one  or  more  legislative  decrees  to  transpose  into  national  law  the  Anti-SLAPP 
Directive.. 

133  The  Government  condemned  the  event  and  ongoing  investigations  indicate  the  possible  involvement  of 

organised crime circles, Italian Government (2026a), additional written input.  

134   FNSI, Ordine dei Giornalisti, CILD, RAI, OBCT, Reporters Without Borders, Ossigeno per l’informazione, 
Civil Society Europe (2026), written inputs, p. 17, p. 15, p. 30, p. 8, p. 18, p. 17, p. 7, and p. 7 respectively. 
The  MPM  2026  considers  the  indicator  for  journalistic  profession,  standards  and  protection  to  be  at 
medium-high  risk  in  view  of  this  deterioration  trend  over  journalist’s  safety  environment,  2026  Media 
Pluralism Monitor, p. 19. 

135   2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, pp. 17-18. On 5 March 2026, the Rome and Naples Prosecutor’s Offices 
indicated that, following forensic analysis carried out on the personal devices of the concerned journalists, 
no evidence of operations by the Italian intelligence services targeting journalists through the spyware was 
found.  However,  the  forensic  analysis  confirmed  that  one  journalist  was  hacked  by  spyware,  and 
investigations to identify the perpetrators should continue. Italian Government (2026a), additional written 
inputs,  pp.  1-4.  See  also  input  from  various  stakeholders,  FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  CILD,  OBCT, 
Articolo 21, Reporters Without Borders, and Ossigeno per l’informazione (2026), written inputs, p. 17, p. 
18, p. 31, pp. 20-21, p. 16, p. 16, and p. 20 respectively; Country visit Italy, FNSI, Ordine dei Giornalisti, 
OBCT, and Ossigeno per l’informazione. 

136   FNSI,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  and  Articolo  21  (2026),  written  inputs,  p.  18,  p.  19,  p.  6;  2026  Media 

Pluralism Monitor, p. 18; Country Visit Italy, FNSI and Ordine dei Giornalisti.  

15 

 
 
journalists,  and  2  cases  of  other  acts  having  chilling  effect  on  media  freedom137.  The 
Mapping  Media  Freedom  platform  reported  104  incidents,  of  which  92  related  to  different 
forms of attacks on journalists and 14 related to legal incidents involving journalists138. The 
latest  available  data  of  the  Coordination  Centre  also  shows  a  76%  increase  in  cases  of 
intimidations against journalists in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period 
in  2024139.  In  February  2026,  the  Government  tabled  in  Parliament  draft  amendments 
introducing  specific  aggravating  factors  for  crimes  committed  against  professional 
journalists140.  Stakeholders  welcomed  the  initiative  as  a  step  forward  in  strengthening  the 
safety of journalists, while stressing the importance for Parliament to consider extending the 
scope of protection to all media workers141. 

There has been no further progress  on the recommendation related to the defamation 
rules142. The draft reform of the defamation  regime is  still pending  in  the Senate143. Media 
stakeholders  reiterated  that  it  is  positive  that  the  proposed  reform  abolishes  imprisonment 
penalties  for  press  defamation,  although  this  falls  short  of  a  full  decriminalisation. 
Stakeholders also reiterated that some of the new and more stringent measures, such as high 
criminal  fines,  raise  potential  issues  of  chilling  effect  on  press  freedom144.  Against  this 
background, there has been no further progress on the related recommendation. 

137   Italy  has  responded  to  13  of  the  20  alerts,  Council  of  Europe,  Platform  to  promote  the  protection  of 

journalism and safety of journalists, Italy. 

138   In  particular,  regarding  the  92  incidents  related  to  different  forms  of  attacks  on  journalists,  18  instances 
related to cases of physical attacks,  22 instances related to cases of attacks  to property, and  52 related to 
cases  of  verbal  attacks.  Concerning  other  types  of  incidents,  there  were  29  reported  instances  related  to 
cases of interference with journalists’ activities. Mapping Media Freedom, Italy country profile. 

139   Out of the 81 cases registered, 19.4% concerned organised crime and 29% were of ‘political-social nature’, 
while 31 out of 81 cases (38.3%)  occurred online. Ministry of Interior (2025), p. 5. Monitoring activities 
carried out by an Italian CSO which, unlike the Specialised  Centre, also take into account cases of threats 
and intimidations for which charges were not filed to competent authorities, report 361 cases of threats or 
other forms of intimidations against journalists in the first half of 2025, suggesting a tendency where only 
one out of six journalists press charges. Ossigeno per l’informazione (2026), written input, p. 7. 

140   This  initiative  provides  for  tighter  criminal  sanctions  for  certain  crimes,  such  as  those  against  life  or 
personal  safety,  when  they  are  committed  against  journalists.  Country  visit  Italy,  Ministry  of  Interior; 
Council of Ministers (2026).  

141   The draft amendments would only protect professional journalists who are members of the national order. 
Stakeholders ask to extend protection to all media professionals and news crew members including sound 
engineers, photographers or  cameramen.  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti  and  FNSI  (2026),  written  inputs,  p. 1  and 
p. 1,  respectively.  Country  visit  Italy,  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  FNSI,  Ossigeno  per  l’informazione,  and 
OBCT. 

142   The 2025 Rule of Law Report recommended Italy to “[c]ontinue the ongoing legislative process on the draft 
reform  on  defamation,  the  protection  of  professional  secrecy  and  journalistic  sources  while  avoiding  any 
risk  of  negative  impacts  on  press  freedom  and  ensure  it  takes  into  account  European  standards  on  the 
protection of journalists”. No progress was previously assessed on this recommendation in 2025 and 2024, 
and some progress in 2023. 

143   Italian  Government  (2026),  written  input,  p.  4  and  p.  27;  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti,  Ossigeno  per 
l’informazione, FNSI, Articolo 21, OBCT, and CILD (2026) written inputs, pp.14-15, pp. 19-20, p. 18, p. 6, 
p.  15,  and  p.  26  respectively;  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report,  Italy,  p.  18;  Country  visit  Italy,  Ordine  dei 
Giornalisti, FNSI, Ossigeno per l’informazione, and OBCT.   

144   Ossigeno per l’informazione, FNSI, Articolo 21, OBCT, and CILD (2026), written inputs, pp. 19-20, p.18, 
p.6,  p.15,  and  p.  26  respectively;2026  Media  Pluralism  Monitor,  p.  13;  Country  visit  Italy,  Ordine  dei 
Giornalisti,  FNSI,  Ossigeno  per  l’informazione,  and  OBCT.  In  particular  it  was  mentioned  the  chilling 
effect related to the risk, envisaged under the proposed draft, for journalists to be fined up to EUR 50 000, 
taking into account their precarious working conditions and economic vulnerability. FNSI and Ordine dei 
Giornalisti (2026), written inputs, p. 20 and p. 18 respectively; Country visit Italy, FNSI.  

16 

 
 
IV.  OTHER INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES RELATED TO CHECKS AND BALANCES 

The  draft  constitutional  reform  to  introduce  the  direct  election  of  the  Prime  Minister 
remains on the agenda of Parliament. After approval by the Senate in June 2024, the draft 
reform  remains  under  discussion  in  the  Chamber  of  Deputies145  and  expert  hearings  in 
Parliament  have  not  advanced  since  July  2025.  The  Government  confirmed  the  reform 
remains  a  priority146.  A  few  stakeholders  reiterated  concerns  that  the  reform  may  impact 
checks and balances by altering the dynamics between the Government and Parliament, and 
between the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic147.  

Stakeholders  continued  to  express  concerns  about  the  excessive  use  of  emergency 
decrees and of motions of confidence, while the Chamber of Deputies took steps to limit 
their use in the future. In the current legislature (22 October 2022 to May 2026), Parliament 
adopted 325 laws. Of these, a third (112 laws) converted government emergency decrees into 
ordinary laws. A fifth (67 laws) were approved through a motion of confidence in at least one 
of  the  branches  of  Parliament.  Three  quarters  (244  laws)  were  of  government  initiative148. 
Stakeholders continued to express concerns149, as they consider that the combined use of law 
decrees  and  motions  of  confidence  might  affect  the  separation  of  powers  between  the 
Government  and  Parliament  and  jeopardise  the  legislative  function  of  Parliament150, 
particularly in the area of criminal law151. On several occasions, the President of the Republic 
called on the Government to strictly limit the use of legislation by decree to cases of genuine 
urgency  and  necessity.  In  February  2026,  with  large  support,  the  Chamber  of  Deputies 
amended  its  rules  of  procedure  with  the  aim  to  streamline  law-making  and,  among  others, 
limit  the  recourse  to  emergency  decrees  and  motions  of  confidence.  The  reform  will  start 
applying after the next legislative elections152.  

A law adopted in November 2025 introduced rules on regulatory simplification, public 
consultation  and  impact  assessment  procedures.  The  law  requires  the  Government  to 
submit  to  Parliament  by  end  of  June  each  year  a  regulatory  simplification  law,  gathering 
proposals from ex post impact assessments and from public consultations, and consolidating 
existing  legislation153.  The  law  introduces  within  the  framework  of  the  regulatory  impact 
assessment  (i)  a  gender  impact  assessment  and  (ii)  a  generational  impact  assessment,  as  an 
ex ante  analysis  of  the  environmental  and  social  effects  of  governmental  acts  (excluding 
emergency  decrees)  on  young  people  and  future  generations,  notably  on  intergenerational 
equity. Finally, the law delegates the government to consolidate and reorganise legislation in 
a  wide  range  of  areas154,  as  well  as  to  revise  the  digital  administration  code.  Business 
stakeholders welcomed the regulatory simplification aims155.  

145   Draft Law A.C. 1921. 
146   Country visit Italy, Italian Government. 
147   MEDEL  (2026),  written  input,  p.  21.  Two  Italian  judicial  associations  (Magistratura  Democratica,  Area 
Democratica  per  la  Giustizia)  are  members  of  MEDEL.  Morrone  (2025).  See  also  2025  Rule  of  Law 
Report, Italy, p. 18. 

148   Chamber of Deputies (2026a), Senate of the Republic (2026).  
149   Country visit Italy, ARCI, CILD and Emergency. 
150   Civil Liberties (2026), written input, p. 33. 
151   Country visit Italy, Antigone and Unione Forense per la Tutela dei Diritti Umani. 
152   Chamber of Deputies (2026b).  
153   Law No. 167 of 10 November 2025. Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 35. 
154   Foreign affairs and international cooperation; inland and mixed navigation; active electorate, keeping and 
revision of electoral rolls; education; disability; legal regimes of interdiction, incapacitation and supported 
decision-making; civil protection; policies for families, birth rates and equal opportunities; higher education 

17 

 
 
On 1 January 2026, Italy had 79 leading judgments of the European Court of Human 
Rights  pending  implementation,  an  increase  of  5  compared  to  the previous  year156.  At 
that time, Italy’s rate of leading judgments from the past 10 years that had been implemented 
was at 22% (compared to 27% in 2025; 78% remained pending), and the average time that 
the judgments had been pending implementation was 5 years and 10 months (compared to 6 
years and 4 months in 2025)157. In 2025, Italy opened 10 new leading cases (of which 4 under 
enhanced supervision) and closed 5 leading cases (of which 4 under enhanced supervision, all 
pending for over five years)158. One of the latter concerned the excessive length of criminal 
proceedings  and  had  been  pending  implementation  for  25  years159.  The  oldest  leading 
judgment,  pending  implementation  for  25  years,  concerns  excessive  length  of  proceedings 
before the civil courts160. As regards the respect of payment deadlines, on 31 December 2025 
there were 109 cases awaiting confirmation of payments (compared to 122 in 2024)161. By 17 
June 2026, the number of leading judgments pending implementation had increased to 84162.  

More than half of companies surveyed in Italy express confidence in the effectiveness of 
investment protection.  57% of companies are very or fairly confident that investments  are 
protected  by  law  and  courts,  a  figure  which  has  slightly  decreased  (58%  in  2025)163.  As 
regards authorities relevant for economic operators, 72% perceive the level of independence 
of  Italy’s  Competition  and  Market  Authority  as  very  or  fairly  good,  a  figure  which  has 
slightly  increased  (70%  in  2025)164.  The  supreme  administrative  court  (Italy’s  Council  of 
State)  has  jurisdiction  in  several  business-related  cases,  including  in  cases  related  to  public 
procurement,  public  concessions,  public  contracts  and  economic  regulation.  A  number  of 
judicial  mechanisms  to  improve  efficiency  are  available  in  these  cases,  including  the 
possibility to apply interim measures, joint examination of similar cases and the consolidation 
of multiple appeals165. 

There has been limited progress on the recommendation to establish a National Human 
Rights  Institution  (NHRI)166.  Five  draft  laws  are  still  pending  in  Parliament167.  One  of 

and  research;  protection  of  workers’  health  and  safety  in  the  port,  maritime,  fishing  vessel  and  railway 
sectors. Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 35. 

155   Country visit, Confindustria. 
156   For an explanation of the supervision process, see the website of the Council of Europe.   
157   All figures calculated by the European Implementation Network (EIN) and based on the number of cases 
that are considered pending at the annual cut-off date of 1 January 2026. EIN (2026), written input, p. 6. 

158   Council of Europe (2026), Annual Report 2025, pp. 143, 157, 159, available here.  
159   European Court of Human Rights, judgment of 12 August 1999, Ledonne v. Italy (no. 1), case 35742/97. In 
September 2025, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe noted that a wide range of reforms 
had brought the average length of criminal proceedings within acceptable and sustainable parameters, and 
that  Italy  had  introduced  an  effective  compensatory  remedy.  CM/ResDH(2025)256.  Council  of  Europe 
(2026), Annual Report 2025, p. 88.  

160   European Court of Human Rights, judgment of 12 January 2001, Trapani v. Italy, case  45104/98.  
161   Council of Europe (2026), Annual Report 2025, pp. 163.   
162   Data according to the online database of the Council of Europe (HUDOC). 
163   Figures 52 and 53, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. 28% and only 11% of the surveyed investors respectively 
perceive (i) concerns about quality, efficiency or independence of justice and frequent changes in legislation 
or  (ii)  concerns  about  the  quality  of  the  law-making  process  as  a  reason  for  the  lack  of  confidence  in 
investment protection.  

164   Figure 60, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard.  
165   Figures 66 and 67, 2026 EU Justice Scoreboard. The data presented reflects exclusively the mechanisms in 
place at the level of the highest administrative jurisdictions; the same or other mechanisms may be in place 
at lower instance administrative courts. 

166   The  2025  Rule  of  Law  Report  recommended  to  Italy  to  ‘[s]tep  up  efforts  to  establish  a  National  Human 
Rights Institution taking into account the UN Paris Principles’. No progress was previously assessed on this 
recommendation in 2025 and 2024 and some progress in 2023. 

18 

 
 
these, proposed by the parliamentary majority, would  task the Data Protection Authority  as 
NHRI168. This proposal raised concerns among stakeholders, also in relation to the required 
expertise169. The Prime Minister’s Office set up a working group in October 2025 to relaunch 
the initiative to establish a NHRI, taking into account the Paris principles and the composite 
institutional framework, with various bodies responsible for the protection of human rights in 
Italy170.  Stakeholders,  including  the  Commissioner  for  Human  Rights  of  the  Council  of 
Europe, continued to urge Italy – as one of the very few Member States still without one – to 
set  up  an  effective,  independent  and  well-resourced  NHRI,  with  a  broad  mandate171.  In 
parallel, a new equality body (Organismo per la Parità) will start operating in 2027, with the 
aim to align with European standards for national equality bodies172. Overall, limited progress 
has been made to implement the recommendation to establish a NHRI. 

New legislation in the field of internal security is being implemented, with stakeholders 
raising concerns about possible impact on civic space and the exercise of fundamental 
rights and freedoms. In December 2025, Civicus downgraded the civic space in Italy from 
‘narrowed’ to ‘obstructed’173. The Security Law, adopted in June 2025 and seeking to combat 
terrorism  and  organised  crime  and  improve  internal  security,  introduced  new  criminal 
offenses,  also  transforming  previously  administrative  offenses  into  criminal  ones,  and 
expanded powers  and protection of law  enforcement authorities.  It  notably  criminalised the 
destruction or damage of property at demonstrations, the blocking of roads or railways, and 
prohibited  access  to  certain  urban  areas  and  means  of  transportation  to  persons  reported  or 
convicted  for  certain  crimes  in  the  same  area174.  In  2026,  the  Government  put  forward  an 
emergency  decree  and  a  draft  law175  defining  additional  criminal  offences  and  harsher 
penalties for violating legislation on assemblies176. The emergency decree, issued in February 
and converted into law in April 2026, notably expands police powers and surveillance with 
the  aim  to  protect  law  enforcement  officials  and  strengthen  security  during  public 
demonstrations177.  Stakeholders  voice  concern  about  developments  related  to  restrictions  to 
the  right  to  protest178  and  about  their  possible  impact  on  civic  space  and  the  exercise  of 
fundamental  rights  and  freedoms179.  The  Government  considers  instead  that  the  new 
provisions  achieve  a  balance  between  the  right  to  peaceful  assembly  and  the  right  to  free 

167   Italian Government (2026), written input, p. 36. 
168   Draft law A.S. 505. 
169   Country visit Italy, ARCI, CILD, COSPE, Antigone, Emergency, Unione Forense per la Tutela dei Diritti 

Umani. Civil Liberties (2026), written input, p. 32. 

170   Italian  Government  (2026),  written  input,  pp.  6,  36-37.  Country  visit  Italy,  Italian  Government.  Existing 
authorities with competences in the field of human rights protection include: the Interministerial Committee 
on  Human  Rights,  the  National  Ombudsman  for  the  Rights  of  Persons  Detained  or  Deprived  of  Personal 
Liberty, the Ombudsman for Children and Adolescents, the Data Protection Authority, the Communications 
Regulatory Authority, and, as of 2025, the National Authority for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. 

171   Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (2026).  
172   Legislative  Decree  No.  91  of  2026,  aiming  to  implement  EU  Directives  2024/1499  and  2024/1500  on 

minimum standards for national equality bodies. 

173   Italy’s score is 60/100. See https://monitor.civicus.org/press_release/2025/italy/; Ratings by Civicus are on 
a  five-category  scale  defined  as:  open,  narrowed,  obstructed,  repressed  and  closed.  Also  see  FRANET 
(2026), pp. 184-185.  

174   2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 21. See also Associazione Italiana Costituzionalisti (2025). 
175  Council of Ministers (2026), Draft law on public security measures, adopted on 5 February 2026. Council 

of Ministers (2026). 

176  FRA (2026), written input, p. 6. 
177  Law No. 54 of 26 April 2026, converting Decree Law No. 23 of 2026 into law. 
178  Country  visit  Italy,  ARCI,  CILD,  COSPE,  Emergency,  Antigone  and  Unione  Forense  per  la  Tutela  dei 

Diritti Umani. Civil Society Europe (2026). 
179  Venturi (2026). Net4Defenders and ARCI (2025). 

19 

 
 
movement  and  personal  freedom,  all  of  which  are  protected  by  the  Constitution180.  In  May 
2026,  in  a  periodic  study  on  legislative  developments,  the  Court  of  Cassation  provided 
observations on procedure and substance on the 2026 Security Law and its compatibility with 
constitutional  guarantees  of  fundamental  rights  and  freedoms181.  Some  stakeholders  also 
reported  that  certain  civil  society  organisations  faced  vexatious  legal  actions,  including 
SLAPP, to discourage civic participation182. 

180  2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 21.  
181  Court  of  Cassation  (2026).  Report  No.  39  of  2026  noted  that  the  expansion  of  criminal  law  and  police 
powers  may  improve  public  order  enforcement  while  it  raises  concerns  about  proportionality,  legal 
certainty, and compatibility with constitutional guarantees of fundamental rights and freedoms. 

182   2025 Rule of Law Report, Italy, p. 18. FNSI, Ordine dei Giornalisti, Ossigeno per l’Informazione, CILD, 

OBCT, ReCommon, written inputs, p. 19, p. 19, pp. 7 and 19, p. 30, pp. 19-20, pp. 1-3 respectively.  

20 

 
 
Annex I: List of sources in alphabetical order* 

* The list of contributions received in the context of the consultation for the 2026 Rule of Law Report 
can 
https://commission.europa.eu/publications/2026-rule-law-report-targeted-
stakeholder-consultation_en. 

found 

be 

at 

AGCOM (2026), Contribution from AGCOM for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

ANAC (2026), Contribution from ANAC for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

ANAC  (2026a),  Annual  report  2025  –  Presentation  by  the  ANAC  President  to  the  Chamber  of 
Deputies,  21  April  2026,  https://www.anticorruzione.it/documents/91439/393633199/Anac+-
+Presentazione+della+Relazione+annuale+2026+su+attivit%C3%A0+2025.pdf/f7b5224c-6397-06ae-
7c23-be464a3b1fc6?t=1776845817673. 

ANAC(2026b), National Anti-Corruption Plan 2025, 28 January 2026, https://www.anticorruzione.it/ 
en/-/piano-nazionale-anticorruzione-2025.  

ANAC (2025a), Guidelines No. 1 of 2025 on internal channels for whistleblowing, 26 November 
2025 https://www.anticorruzione.it/en/-/del.n.478-26.11.2025.llgg.wb. 

ANAC  (2025b),  Notification  act  No.  3  of  23  July  2025  concerning  the  applicability  of  Legislative 
Decree  No.  39  of  8  April  2013,  https://www.anticorruzione.it/en/-/atto-di-segnalazione-n.-3-del-23-
luglio-2025.  

ANAC (2025c), Annual report 2024, 20 May 2025, https://www.anticorruzione.it/en/-
/relazione.annuale.2025. 

Articolo 21 (2026), Contribution from Articolo 21 for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Association of Magistrates of the Court of Auditors (2025), Open letter to president Giorgia Meloni 
on the reform of the Court of Auditors, 7 April 2025, https://www.amcorteconti.it/lettera-aperta-al-
presidente-giorgia-meloni-sulla-riforma-della-corte-dei-conti/. 

Associazione Italiana Costituzionalisti (2025), The security decree-law (Il decreto-legge sicurezza), 
La Lettera, Vol. 4/2025, https://www.associazionedeicostituzionalisti.it/it/la-lettera/04-2025-il-
decreto-legge-sicurezza. 

CEPEJ (2026), Study on the functioning of the judicial system in the EU Member States. 

Chamber of Deputies, Draft law A.C. 2629 to reform Law No. 247 of 2012. 

Chamber  of  Deputies,  Draft  law  A.C.  2336  (Disciplina  dell’attività  di  relazioni  istituzionali  per  la 
rappresentanza di interessi). 

Chamber of Deputies, Draft Law A.C. 1921. 

Chamber  of  Deputies  (2026a),  Legislative  output  until  13  May  2026:  numbers  and  features, 
https://www.camera.it/temiap/documentazione/temi/pdf/1354685.pdf.  

Chamber 
https://www.gazzettaufficiale.it/eli/id/2026/02/26/26A00920/sg.  

Deliberation 

Deputies 

(2026), 

of 

of 

17 

February 

2026, 

Civil Liberties Union for Europe (2026), Contribution from Civil Liberties for the 2026 Rule of Law 
Report. 

Civil Liberties Union for Europe (2026a), Liberties Rule of Law Report, liberties.eu/f/wtaqoq. 

Civil  Society  Europe  (2026),  Contribution  from  Civil  Society  Europe  for  the  2026  Rule  of  Law 
Report. 

21 

 
 
Confindustria (2026), Contribution from Confindustria for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

COSPE (2026), Contribution from COSPE for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Constitutional Court, judgment No. 185/2025 of 16 December 2025, ECLI:IT:COST:2025:185. 

Consultative  Council  of  European  Judges,  CCJE 
https://rm.coe.int/168074779b.  

(2007),  Opinion  No.  10  of  2007, 

of  European 
Consultative  Council 
https://rm.coe.int/opinion-no-24-2021-of-the-ccje/1680a47604. 

Judges,  CCJE;  Opinion  No. 

24 

of 

2021, 

Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe, CCBE (2026), Contribution from CCBE for the 2026 
Rule of Law Report. 

Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights (2026), Letter to the Presidents of the Senate and 
Chamber of Deputies of Italy, 4 March 2026, https://rm.coe.int/letter-to-the-presidents-of-the-italian-
senate-and-chamber-of-deputies/48802acdc9. 

Council of Europe (2026), Supervision of the execution of judgments decisions of the European Court 
of Human Rights – 19th Annual Report of the Committee of Ministers – 2025, https://rm.coe.int/2025-
annual-report/48802b1633.   

Council  of  Europe  (2010),  Recommendation  of  the  Committee  of  Ministers  to  member  states  on 
judges:  independence,  efficiency  and  responsibilities,  17  November  2010,  CM/Rec(2010)12, 
https://search.coe.int/cm#{%22CoEIdentifier%22:[%2209000016805afb78%22],%22sort%22:[%22C
oEValidationDate%20Descending%22]}. 

Council of Ministers (2026), Draft law on security measures et al, press release of 5 February 2026, 
https://www.governo.it/it/articolo/comunicato-stampa-del-consiglio-dei-ministri-n-159/31034.  

Court  of  Auditors  (2026),  Annual  Report  2025,  https://www.corteconti.it/Download?id=c953a7e4-
493f-41d1-8fe3-fac8534fb39c. 

Court  of  Cassation,  First  President  (2026),  Speech  for  the  opening  of  the  judicial  year,  30  January 
2026, 
https://www.cortedicassazione.it/resources/cms/documents/Discorso_Primo_Presidente_2026.pdf.  

Court of Cassation, General Prosecutor (2026), Speech for the opening of the judicial year, 30 January 
2026, 
https://www.cortedicassazione.it/resources/cms/documents/Discorso_Procuratore_Generale_2026.pdf
.   

Court  of  Cassation,  Ufficio  del  Massimario  e  del  Ruolo  (2026),  Report  No.  39  of  2026,  
https://www.cortedicassazione.it/resources/cms/documents/Rel.392026.pdf.  

Court 
https://www.cortedicassazione.it/resources/cms/documents/Relazione_Cassazione_2026.pdf.  

Cassation 

(2026a), 

Annual 

Report 

of 

2025, 

Court of Cassation (2026), Contribution from the Court of Cassation for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Court of Cassation (2025), Concluding document adopted by the General Assembly of 19 June 2025, 
https://www.cortedicassazione.it/resources/cms/documents/Documento_approvato_dallAssemblea_G
enerale_del_19_giugno_2025.pdf. 

Dem.e.tra (2026), Contribution from Dem.e.tra for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

European  Centre  for  Press  and  Media  Freedom  (ECPMF),  Mapping  Media  Freedom,  Italy  country 
profile, https://www.mappingmediafreedom.org/category/italy/. 

European Commission (2025), 2025 Rule of Law Report, Country Chapter on the rule of law situation 
in Italy. 

22 

 
European  Commission  (2026),  Recommendation  for  a  Council  Recommendation  on  the  economic, 
social, employment, structural and budgetary policies of Italy, COM(2026) 212 final. 

European  Court  of  Human  Rights,  judgement  of  9  January  2013,  Oleksandar  Volkov  v.  Ukraine, 
21722/11, https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng#{%22itemid%22:[%22001-115871%22]} . 

European Implementation Network (2026), Input from the European Implementation Network for the 
2026 Rule of Law Report.  

European Judicial Network, EJN (2025), Online processing of cases and e-communication with courts 
Italy,  30  May  2025,  https://e-justice.europa.eu/topics/court-procedures/civil-cases/online-
– 
processing-cases-and-e-communication-courts/it_en. 

European Parliament, (2021), Financing of political structures in EU Member States, https:// 
www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/STUD/2021/694836/IPOL_STU(2021)694836_EN.pdf. 

European Public Prosecutors Office (EPPO) (2026), Contribution from EPPO for the 2026 Rule of 
Law Report. 

Federazione  Nazionale  Stampa  Italiana,  FNSI  (2025),  Contribution  from  Federazione  Nazionale 
Stampa Italiana for the 2025 Rule of Law Report. 

Fundamental Rights Agency, FRA (2026), Contribution from FRA for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

FRANET (2026), Civic space in the EU in 2025, Country: Italy. 

GRECO  (2024),  Fifth  Evaluation  Round:  Italy,  https://rm.coe.int/fifth-evaluation-round-preventing-
corruption-and-promoting-integrity-i/1680b16315   

Guardia di Finanza (2025), Codice deontologico della Guardia di Finanza. Edizione 2025.  

High  Council  of  the  Judiciary  (2026),  Contribution  from  the  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary  for  the 
2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Council 

High 
Judiciary 
https://www.csm.it/portale/documents/21768/13139917/Volume+relazione+annuale+2025+-
+rev+21+dic.pdf/cac09ca3-fb40-011b-3807-5f808df61316?t=1770313214182. 

(2025a), 

Annual 

Report 

the 

of 

2025, 

Council 

High 
https://www.csm.it/portale/documents/21768/92150/Parere+separazione+carriere+e+riforma+CSM+
%28delibera+8+gennaio+2025%29.pdf/80a01678-fe53-f348-dce5-3296ea3d7891?t=1736525435000. 

(2025b),  Opinion 

Judiciary 

January 

2025, 

the 

of 

of 

8 

Italian Government (2026), Contribution from Italy for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Italian Government (2026a), Additional contribution for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

ISTAT  (2026),  Efficiency  of  the  justice  system:  analysis  of  flows  (Efficienza  del  sistema  giustizia: 
analisi dei flussi dei procedimenti), 22 June 2026, https://www.istat.it/comunicato-stampa/efficienza-
del-sistema-giustizia-analisi-dei-flussi-dei-procedimenti/  

Libera (2026), Contribution from Libera for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

MEDEL (2026), Contribution from MEDEL for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Media Pluralism Monitor (2026), forthcoming. 

Ministry  of  Finance 
https://www.dgt.mef.gov.it/gt/it/relazione-annuale-sullo-stato-del-contenzioso-tributario. 

(2025),  Annual  Report  of 

the  Department 

for  Tax 

Justice, 

Minister  of  Justice  (2026),  Speech  at  the  opening  of  the  judicial  year,  30  January  2026 
https://www.giustizia.it/giustizia/page/it/intervento_del_ministro_in_cassazione. 

Ministry of Justice (2026), Report 2025 on the Administration of Justice, available here. 

23 

 
Morrone, Andrea (2025), On electoral premiership in constitutional review projects (Sul “premierato 
elettivo”  nei  progetti  di  revisione  costituzionale),  Osservatorio  Costituzionale,  July  2025 
https://www.osservatorioaic.it/images/rivista/pdf/2025_4_03_Morrone.pdf  

National Association of Magistrates (2026), Referendum: toni inaccettabili contro magistrati ma non 
https://www.associazionemagistrati.it/doc/5064/referendum-toni-
rispondiamo 
inaccettabili-contro-magistrati-ma-non-rispondiamo-ad-attacchi.htm. 

attacchi, 

ad 

National Bar Association (Consiglio Nazionale Forense) (2026), Contribution from the National Bar 
Association for the  2026  Rule  of  Law  Report  via  the Council  of  Bars  and  Law Societies  of  Europe 
(CCBE). 

National Bar Association (Consiglio Nazionale Forense) (2025), Budget law, CNF: State-funded legal 
aid and professional fees are at risk (Manovra, CNF: “A rischio il patrocinio a spese dello Stato e i 
2025, 
of 
compensi 
https://www.consiglionazionaleforense.it/web/cnf-news/-/24697-387. 

professionisti”), 

December 

release 

press 

dei 

12 

National School of Administration (2026), Good practices (Buone pratiche), 
https://sna.gov.it/home/attivita/comunita-di-pratica/comunita-di-pratica-per-rpct/buone-pratiche/. 

Net4Defenders and ARCI (2025), Civic space report 2025 Italy, November 2025. 

OECD  (2024),  Implementing  the  OECD  Anti-Bribery  Convention  Phase  4  Two-Year  Follow-Up 
Report: Italy, https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/publications/reports/2024/10/implementing-
the-oecd-anti-bribery-convention-phase-4-two-year-follow-up-report-italy_65d235f7/5841d4d2-
en.pdf.  

Ordine  dei  Giornalisti  (2026),  Contribution  from  Ordine  dei  Giornalisti  for  the  2026  Rule  of  Law 
Report. 

Osservatorio  Balcani  Caucaso  Transeuropa  OBCT  (2026),  Contribution  from  Osservatorio  Balcani 
Caucaso Transeuropa for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Ossigeno  per  l’informazione  (2026),  Contribution  from  Ossigeno  per  l’informazione  for  the  2026 
Rule of Law Report. 

President  of  the  Republic  (2026),  Speech  at  the  plenary  of  the  High  Council  of  the  Judiciary,  18 
February 2026, https://www.quirinale.it/elementi/151430. 

RAI (2026), Contribution from RAI for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

RAI (2026a), Additional contribution in the context of the country visit. 

ReCommon (2026), Contribution from ReCommon for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Reporters Without Borders (2026), Contribution from Reporters Without Borders for the 2026 Rule of 
Law Report. 

Senate of the Republic, Draft law A.S. 1353. 

Senate of the Republic, Draft law A.S. 505. 

Senate  of  the  Republic  (2026),  Statistics  on  legislative  activity,  https://www.senato.it/leggi-e-
documenti/statistiche/statistiche-sullattivita-legislativa/leggi-distinte-per-natura,  
https://www.senato.it/leg/19/BGT/Schede/Statistiche/Leggi/DDLLeggiApprovate.html. 

The Good Lobby (2026), Contribution from The Good Lobby for the 2026 Rule of Law Report. 

Transparency International (2026), Contribution from Transparency International for the 2026 Rule 
of Law Report. 

Venice Commission (2025), Spain - Opinion on the manner of election of the judicial members of the 
CDL-AD(2025)038, 
General 
https://www.venice.coe.int/webforms/documents/default.aspx?pdffile=CDL-AD(2025)038-e.  

Judiciary, 

October 

Council 

2025, 

the 

13 

of 

24 

 
Venturi, Filippo (2026), The securitarian turn in Italian criminal law, Verfassungsblog, 26 February 
2026, https://verfassungsblog.de/the-securitarian-turn-in-italian-criminal-law/. 

25 

 
 
Annex II: Country visit to Italy 

The Commission services held virtual meetings in February 2026 with: 

•  Anti-corruption Unit of the Financial Police (Guardia di Finanza) 
•  Association Antigone 
•  Associazione Articolo 21 
•  Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana (ARCI) 
•  Association of Journalists (Ordine dei Giornalisti) 
•  Board of the Tax Courts (Consiglio di Presidenza della Giustizia Tributaria) 
• 
•  Communications  Regulatory  Authority 

Italian Coalition for Civil Liberties and Rights (CILD)  

(Autorità  per 

le  Garanzie  nelle 

Comunicazioni, AGCOM) 

•  Confartigianato 
•  Confindustria 
•  Constitutional Court (Corte Costituzionale) 
•  Cooperazione per lo Sviluppo dei Paesi Emergenti (COSPE) 
•  Council  of  State  (Consiglio  di  Stato)  and  Board  of  the  Administrative  Courts 

(Consiglio di Presidenza della Giustizia Amministrativa) 

•  Court  of  Auditors  (Corte  dei  Conti)  and  its  prosecution  service  (Ufficio  del 

Procuratore Generale presso la Corte dei Conti) 
•  Democrazia, etica pubblica, trasparenza (Dem.e.tra) 
•  Emergency 
• 
Italian National Press Federation (Federazione Nazionale Stampa Italiana, FNSI) 
•  Court  of  Cassation  (Corte  Suprema  di  Cassazione)  and  its  prosecution  service 

(Procura Generale presso la Corte Suprema di Cassazione) 

Independent Judiciary (Magistratura Indipendente) 

•  High Council of the Judiciary (Consiglio Superiore della Magistratura) 
• 
•  Libera 
•  Ministry of Interior 
•  Ministry of Justice 
•  National Anti-Corruption Authority (Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione, ANAC) 
•  National Association of Magistrates (Associazione Nazionale Magistrati) 
•  National Bar Association (Consiglio Nazionale Forense) 
•  Open Polis 
•  Osservatorio Balcani Caucaso Transeuropa (OBCT) 
•  Ossigeno per l’Informazione 
•  Office of the Prime Minister (Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri) 
•  RAI – Radiotelevisione italiana S.p.A. 
•  The Good Lobby 
•  Transparency International – Italy 
•  Union of Italian Criminal Chambers (Unione delle Camere Penali Italiane, UCPI) 
•  Lawyers’  Union for  the  Protection  of Human Rights (Unione Forense per la Tutela 

dei Diritti Umani, UFTDU) 

* The Commission also met the following organisations in a number of horizontal meetings:  

26 

 
 
•  Civil Liberties Union for Europe 
•  Civil Society Europe 
•  End FGM EU 
•  European Civic Forum 
•  European Partnership for Democracy 
•  Human Rights Watch 
• 
ILGA-Europe 
• 
International Federation for Human Rights 
•  Philea - Philanthropy Europe Association 
•  Transparency International EU 

27