Consiglio di Stato accelerates Italian beach concession tenders

The Italian Consiglio di Stato has issued rulings that accelerate the process for public tenders regarding beach concessions. The court clarified that the September 30, 2027, deadline is the maximum limit for the transition period and not a general extension. Consequently, municipalities are encouraged to initiate public tender procedures without delay, with a requirement to start them no later than June 30, 2027.

In Santa Marinella, the Consiglio di Stato upheld the legitimacy of the municipality's selective procedure for renewing concessions, rejecting an appeal from Bubbi s.r.l. The court ruled that the process complied with European transparency and competition principles, rather than being an automatic extension.

However, Assobalneari Italia has contested these legal directions, arguing they deviate from European law. The organization claims that the assumption of natural resource scarcity—which triggers the obligation for comparative procedures—should be verified on a case-by-case basis rather than presumed automatically. Meanwhile, in the Versilia region, local mayors have outlined roadmaps for approximately 300 concessions to go to tender between late 2026 and early 2027, implementing anti-speculation measures.