# Ilva plant shutdown, investment bids, and legal challenges > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ilva-steel-plant-legal-actions-in-taranto > Updated: 2026-08-31T15:50:11.000Z. Sources: 112. Developments: 16. In late July 2026, the Milan Court of Appeal ordered the closure of the “hot zone” at the former Ilva plant in Taranto within 90 days due to asbestos and fine-dust emissions. While Acciaierie d’Italia appeals the ruling to the Supreme Court, the shutdown remains enforceable for 28 October. The industrial transition is further complicated by the imminent exhaustion of the company’s bridge loan in October. As the October 28 deadline approaches, Minister of Enterprises and Made in Italy Adolfo Urso confirmed that two binding offers are currently on the table. One offer comes from Jindal, which has updated its proposal following the Court of Appeal’s decision. Additionally, Federacciaio, representing 14 primary Italian companies, has submitted an expression of interest and is evaluating whether to convert it into a binding offer. Acciaierie d’Italia has filed an extraordinary appeal with the Court of Cassation to challenge the shutdown order. The company’s legal team argues that the Milan Court of Appeal’s decision contradicts a previous lower court ruling that allowed for the possibility of avoiding a production halt by redefining environmental authorizations. The company contends the appellate court overstepped its jurisdiction by substituting its own injunction for the original judicial measure. This follows a separate petition to the Supreme Court by Ilva in extraordinary administration. Legal and criminal pressures continue to mount. Milan prosecutors have launched a criminal investigation into Acciaierie d’Italia for alleged fraudulent bankruptcy and false accounting. Former president and CEO Lucia Morselli is under investigation following allegations that management engaged in asset-stripping to benefit ArcelorMittal. Amidst these crises, Labor Minister Marina Calderone has emphasized that the industrial reconversion must prioritize the protection of over 12,000 direct employees. ## Claims - Italian steel production grew 3.7% in 2025. (disputed by 3 sources) - Italian steel production increased 6.1% year‑on‑year in June 2026. (disputed by 3 sources) - Federacciai has submitted a manifestation of interest for the former Ilva plants. (corroborated by 11 sources) - The Milan Court of Appeal ordered the shutdown of the Taranto site's hot area starting October 28 due to high emissions and asbestos. (corroborated by 8 sources) - Ilva, Acciaierie d’Italia and Acciaierie d’Italia Holding are under extraordinary administration. (corroborated by 6 sources) - More than 2,000 kilograms of asbestos remain in the plant’s cowper units after 6,780 kilograms have already been removed. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Jindal presented an updated proposal for the entire ex‑Ilva perimeter that accounts for the hot‑zone closure. (corroborated by 6 sources) - Italian industrial groups are discussing a cordata to rescue the ex‑Ilva steel plant and protect roughly 10,800 jobs. (corroborated by 6 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-08-31: Acciaierie d'Italia appeals Milan court order to stop ex-Ilva production Acciaierie d'Italia has appealed to Italy's Court of Cassation against a Milan Court of Appeal order to shut down the ex-Ilva hot area in Taranto within 90 days due to health and pollution concerns. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/acciaierie-ditalia-appeals-order-to-halt-ex-ilva-steel-production ### 2026-08-28: Ex Ilva steel plant faces October 28 deadline for hot area closure Minister Adolfo Urso announced that the ex Ilva steel plant's hot area must close by October 28, noting two binding offers for the site, including an updated proposal from Jindal. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ex-ilva-steel-plant-faces-october-28-deadline-for-hot-area-closure ### 2026-08-27: Italian officials discuss ex Ilva reconversion and industrial competitiveness Italian Labor Minister Marina Calderone and industry experts discussed the industrial reconversion of the ex Ilva plant, emphasizing job protection, energy costs, and the need for new entrepreneurial growth. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-officials-discuss-ex-ilva-reconversion-and-industrial-competitiveness ### 2026-08-26: Lucia Morselli under investigation for fraudulent bankruptcy at ex-Ilva Milan prosecutors are investigating former Acciaierie d’Italia CEO Lucia Morselli for fraudulent bankruptcy and false accounting related to the management of the former Ilva steelworks. 11 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ex-ilva-steel-plant-crisis-faces-new-fraud-investigation ### 2026-08-21: Eusider seeks to join Italian consortium for ex Ilva acquisition Eusider has expressed interest in joining a 14-company Italian consortium led by Federacciai to acquire the former Ilva steel plants, citing strategic importance for national manufacturing. 4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/eusider-seeks-to-join-italian-consortium-for-ex-ilva-acquisition ### 2026-08-18: Federacciai submits interest in former Ilva assets Federacciai and a consortium of 14 Italian steel companies have submitted a preliminary interest to acquire the former Ilva assets, excluding the Taranto hot area due to environmental and legal issues. 16 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/federacciai-submits-interest-for-former-ilva-steel-plants ### 2026-08-15: Ilva Taranto appeals court order to shut down 'hot area Ilva in amministrazione straordinaria has appealed to Italy's Supreme Court against a court order to shut down the Taranto steel plant's 'hot area' by October 28 due to asbestos and pollution concerns. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ilva-taranto-appeals-court-order-to-shut-down-hot-area ### 2026-08-10: Federacciai leads Italian steel consortium bid for ex-Ilva plants A consortium of Italian steel companies, led by Federacciai, is preparing a bid for the ex-Ilva plants in Taranto, amid rising fears of mass layoffs following a court-ordered production shutdown. 15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/federacciai-explores-italian-consortium-to-relaunch-ex-ilva-plants ### 2026-08-09: Taranto Democratic Party activist calls for unified stance on ex-Ilva A Democratic Party activist in Taranto is calling for a unified official party stance regarding the future of the ex-Ilva industrial site and the high-temperature area. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/taranto-democratic-party-activist-calls-for-unified-stance-on-ex-ilva ### 2026-08-08: Ex-Ilva: Federacciai evaluates proposal amid rising steel production Italian companies, led by Federacciai, are evaluating a proposal for the ex-Ilva plant as steel production grows and political pressure mounts over decarbonization and job security. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-steel-minister-urso-signals-production-growth-and-new-federacciai-proposal ### 2026-08-04: Taranto ex-Ilva steel plant to cut output and seek state aid for electric furnace transition Antonio Decaro urges cutting ex‑Ilva output to 2‑3 Mt and state support for electric furnace conversion, citing a Milan court ruling and a secret decarbonisation dossier. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/taranto-ex-ilva-steel-plant-to-cut-output-and-seek-state-aid-for-electric-furnace-transition ### 2026-08-04: Italy's ex-Ilva steel plant: hot‑zone closure and €2 bn investment plan Italy’s ex‑Ilva hot‑zone will close within 90 days; 170 ha of land and €2 bn of projects are ready, while a “cordata italiana” of firms seeks to protect ~10,800 jobs. 24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-steel-giant-ex-ilva-and-yacht-maker-the-italian-sea-group-seek-rescue-deals ### 2026-08-02: Taranto ex-Ilva closure sparks worker protests and calls for job protections Milan court orders closure of ex‑Ilva’s hot zone; 20,000 workers protest, demand job safeguards and a clean‑energy transition, with investors Jindal and Arvedi showing interest. 10 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/taranto-ex-ilva-plant-future-debated-as-groups-call-for-job-protections ### 2026-07-31: Italian steel giant Ex Ilva faces union agitation and 90‑day hot‑area shutdown Ex Ilva workers declared permanent agitation; a court ordered the hot‑area shut in 90 days, affecting up to 20 000 jobs. Unions plan an 8‑hour strike on 3 August and a technical table on 4 August, while Jindal 13 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/italian-steelmaker-ilva-faces-shutdown-and-union-strike-in-taranto ### 2026-07-27: Taranto’s Ex Ilva Steel Plant Ordered to Shut Hot Zone Within 90 Days Over Asbestos and Dust Milan court orders shutdown of ex Ilva’s hot zone within 90 days over asbestos and dust, prompting strikes, a govt‑led technical table and a €100 m loan to address the plant’s future. 36 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ilva-steel-plant-in-taranto-ordered-to-shut-for-90-days-over-asbestos-and-dust ### 2026-07-24: Taranto's ex Ilva steel plant ordered to halt waste management due to lacking financial guarantees Italy's Ministry of Environment ordered ex Ilva in Taranto to suspend waste management from 20‑31 Aug 2026 over missing financial guarantees, with extensions possible if not resolved. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/tarantos-ex-ilva-steel-plant-ordered-to-halt-waste-management-due-to-lacking-financial-guarantees --- Cite as: Ilva plant shutdown, investment bids, and legal challenges. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ilva-steel-plant-legal-actions-in-taranto