Italian steel producer ArcelorMittal Italia has lost its legal immunity from penal proceedings over environmental issues at the ex-Ilva plant in Taranto, after an amendment of the so-called "Salva Imprese" decree was approved this week by the Italian parliament. The new decree essentially removes the protection from legal proceedings that the plant's managers had previously been granted. According to sources, this makes it difficult for the plant to be managed. It is foreseen that ArcelorMittal Italia will not produce more than 4.5 million mt of steel this year, compared to the 6 million mt target that the company declared one year ago.
Local unions think this is "a serious matter that adds further uncertainty to the future of ArcelorMittal in our country". In a joint note, the secretaries of manufacturing unions Fim, Fiom and Uil underlined that "the repealed law did not guarantee any penal immunity but was limited to the realization of the environmental plan". In the worst-case scenario, they said that there is a risk that ArcelorMittal could leave Italy.
Italian industry minister Stefano Patuanelli said on Tuesday this week that he would meet managers from ArcelorMittal and local unions. "I believe there are no reasons for interrupting production," he said. "We will talk with the company on the set of choices necessary to guarantee production," he added.
Global steel giant ArcelorMittal has in the past threatened to shut down the plant if the legal guarantee was revoked.