European Union implements debt reforms and gender violence directives

The European Parliament has finalized reforms to the Stability and Growth Pact. Under the new rules, EU member states with a debt-to-GDP ratio exceeding 90% must implement an annual linear reduction of 1%. For Italy, this requirement necessitates finding over 10 billion euros in annual corrections, which may lead to cuts in public spending, healthcare, and infrastructure, or increased taxation over the next seven years.

Separately, EU member states face a deadline of June 14, 2027, to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1385 regarding the fight against violence against women and domestic violence into national law. While Italy has taken steps through the 'Codice Rosso' and the introduction of femicide as a specific crime, the formal implementing legislative decree is still pending. A key feature of the Directive is the recognition of intersectional discrimination, protecting victims based on combined factors such as sex, race, disability, or sexual orientation.