Messina and Reggio Calabria sign agreement for Integrated Strait Area

The mayors of Messina, Federico Basile, and Reggio Calabria, Francesco Cannizzaro, have signed a five-year protocol of intent to establish an Integrated Area of the Strait. The agreement, signed aboard the ferry Elio, aims to overcome administrative boundaries to coordinate services across a territory encompassing over 200 municipalities and one million inhabitants.

A central component of the pact is the creation of a Unique Agency for Strait Mobility, a supra-municipal body designed to coordinate maritime and land public transport, monitor service quality, and facilitate infrastructure funding. Key initiatives include improving intermodal connections between Messina and the Tito Minniti Airport in Reggio Calabria through coordinated bus, ferry, and train services, as well as introducing a single ticket for travel within the area.

The collaboration also extends to tourism, culture, university research, and civil protection. The administrations intend to jointly promote the commercial name ‘Reggio Calabria-Messina’ for the airport and seek formal recognition of the Integrated Area from the national government to secure necessary resources and legislative frameworks.