Ilva Taranto appeals court order to shut down 'hot area

Ilva in amministrazione straordinaria has filed an appeal with the Supreme Court (Corte di Cassazione) against a ruling by the Milan Court of Appeal that mandates the shutdown of the Taranto steel plant’s ‘hot area’. The decree requires the cessation of activities in the area by October 28 due to concerns regarding asbestos and fine particulate matter emissions.

The appeal, which includes 14 grounds for nullity, challenges the jurisdiction of the Milan court, arguing that the matter falls under administrative rather than civil jurisdiction. While the appeal is pending, the shutdown order remains enforceable, meaning the plants must stop operating by the October deadline. To mitigate this, legal representatives for the company are preparing a request to the Milan Court of Appeal to suspend the decree’s effects while awaiting the Supreme Court's decision.

Local citizen groups in Taranto, who successfully petitioned for the shutdown, are scheduled to hold a public assembly on August 20 to discuss their next steps in response to these legal developments.