Sicily proposes draft law to reward firms that respect workers

DDL ASSECO certification public procurement labour compliance Sicily

Deputy Dario Safina of the Democratic Party has introduced a draft law to the Sicilian Regional Assembly that would award public‑procurement advantages to companies that demonstrate compliance with labour standards. The proposal calls for the use of the voluntary ASSECO certification, which verifies that a firm respects wage and contribution rules, as a qualifying criterion. In tenders judged on the “economically most advantageous offer,” certified firms would receive an additional technical score; in price‑only procedures the certification would give a preferential status when offers are otherwise equal. The measure is aimed at curbing contract‑dumping and unfair competition in the many small‑value contracts that make up the bulk of municipal and regional procurements, without imposing new costs on the regional budget.

Safina said the reform would turn the abstract principle of legality into a concrete tool for public administrations, encouraging transparency and protecting workers while preserving fiscal neutrality.

Entities: ASSE.CO. certification · ASSECO certification · Dario Safina · Democratic Party (Italy) · Democratic Party (PD) · Italian public procurement system · Sicilian Regional Assembly · Sicilian Regional Government · Sicily Regional Assembly

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.

[● 4 SOURCES] The draft was presented by Deputy Dario Safina of the Democratic Party. (Press release)
[● 4 SOURCES] In price‑only procurement procedures the certification would give a preference when offers are equivalent. (Draft law description)
[● 4 SOURCES] A draft law has been presented to the Sicilian Regional Assembly to reward firms that respect workers. (Safina's proposal)
[● 4 SOURCES] The proposal aims to prevent contract dumping and unfair competition in public tenders. (Safina's statement)
[● 4 SOURCES] The law proposes using the ASSECO certification as a criterion in public procurement. (Draft law text)
[● 4 SOURCES] The draft law does not impose additional costs on the regional budget. (Safina's statement)
[● 4 SOURCES] The measure targets lower‑value contracts, which constitute the majority of public tenders. (Safina's explanation)
[● 4 SOURCES] Firms with the certification would receive an additional technical score in economically most advantageous offers. (Draft law description)