The new beach concessions will last from 5 to 20 years . This is what is stipulated in a draft of the national standard tender , still subject to adjustments, that the Ministry of Infrastructure presented to the Unified Conference.
The document developed by the ministry contains the criteria that the granting bodies – Provinces, Municipalities, Regions – must respect when publishing the tender, in order to "promote uniform conditions for the awarding of state-owned concessions."
Starting from the duration of the concession, from a minimum of five to a maximum of twenty years.
After numerous postponements, the Bolkestein Directive has finally come into force. All concessions must be reassigned through public tenders by September 30, 2027. Contracting authorities must publish the tender notices at least six months in advance, and in any case no later than June 30.
Continuity of services will be guaranteed during the tenders and existing titles will continue to be valid until the new concessionaire actually takes over.
The tender notice must specify the subject matter and purpose of the concession. It may concern beach establishments, restaurants, public beaches with facilities, or sports areas. It is not limited to the extension of existing concessions and may also consolidate multiple concessions into a single lot. Limits on the concentration of licenses are in place; the same entity may only participate in a limited number of tenders.
Those who participate must meet certain requirements, such as financial stability certified by a bank and having operated a tourism or recreational activity similar to that for which the concession is granted for a certain number of years . The text also specifies the services and mandatory features for establishments, such as the presence of disabled bathrooms and showers and pedestrian walkways.
The fee the concessionaire will have to pay to the state is variable: each individual tender must be quantified taking into account the area's surface area and tourism value. However, it should be considered provisional, as it may be subject to ISTAT adjustments and other changes.
Finally, the text regulates the compensation for the outgoing concessionaire, which will be paid by the incoming concessionaires .
The award criterion is the most economically advantageous offer in terms of quality-price ratio.
(Unioneonline)
