Giuridico e Amministrativo

🚧 In Italy, railway upgrades in August lead to disruptions in the train service. The Milan-Bologna high-speed line experiences partial closure from August 12 to 18, extending travel times by up to 120 minutes. The Florence-Rome line is interrupted from August 12 to 23, causing diversions and delays up to 60 minutes. Verona-Vicenza route remains closed until August 20, with delays reaching 150 minutes. Other lines also face interruptions and delays due to enhancement works.

🛄 Over 36 million bags were lost or damaged last year. In June alone, requests for insurance policies for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage increased by 10% year-on-year, according to Facile.it. These policies often exclude items like smartphones, tablets, PCs, and cameras, and certainly don’t cover cash, checks, or art objects. Most require a 12-hour delay from the scheduled arrival time to claim expenses for essential items. Policies never cover self-inflicted damage or unattended items, and compensation may be reduced by any amount received from the carrier.

🏠 FRI-Tur deadline extended to 12 September for applications, targeting medium to large investments between €500,000 and €10 million, focused on upgrading hospitality services and facilities with digitalization and environmental sustainability. Projects must be completed by 31 December 2025. Total funding is €780 million, with €180 million for direct expense contribution and €600 million for subsidized financing from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti. Applications started on 1 July 2024, managed by Invitalia and promoted by the Ministry of Tourism.

💰 From July 1 to August 31 and December 1 to December 31, Italy's tax administration suspends certain notifications and automatic checks. The "decreto Adempimenti" establishes two suspension periods. Tax payment deadlines from automated checks, formal checks, and separate taxation are suspended from August 1 to September 4. However, urgent cases may request an exemption from the suspension regime.

💸 The Italian Revenue Agency has halted certain communications and invitations except for urgent cases, effective from today until September 4. The suspension includes terms for certain payments as stated by the "decreto Adempimenti." Two suspension periods are set: August 1-31 and December 1-31, during which automated control communications, formal control notices, and separate tax income notifications cannot be sent. Payment terms of 30 days for automated and formal control amounts, as well as for separately taxed incomes, are also suspended from August 1 to September 4. Transmission terms for documents and information are on hold during the same period, excluding those related to access, inspection, and VAT refund procedures.

🛈 From September, the EU will reinstate a 100 ml limit for liquids, creams, and gels in hand luggage for air travel. Malpensa, Linate, and Fiumicino airports, which had recently implemented new scanners allowing for the verification of liquids, will be affected. Olivier Jankovec, director general of Aci Europe, expressed concerns about the impact on airports that adopted the new technology, both operationally and financially.

🚨 Renato Schifani, President of the Sicily Region, disputes media terrorism by foreign newspapers regarding Sicily's drought. Claims of tourist exodus due to water scarcity are "patently false," Schifani states, citing an interview with ilgiornale.it. Conversely, Nicola Farruggio, Vice President of Federalberghi Sicilia, reports a healthy tourism sector. Despite real drought concerns, travel figures have slightly increased from 2023, and Schifani assures tourists can visit Sicily without water availability worries.

🛫 Due to tensions between Israel and Lebanon, European airlines are suspending flights to Tel Aviv. Lufthansa has canceled flights to the Israeli city until August 8 and to Beirut until August 12. ITA Airways halts flights to Tel Aviv until August 6. Other airlines, including Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Fly Dubai, Air India, and British Airways, have also suspended flights to Ben Gurion Airport. Air France-KLM is monitoring the situation but has not yet suspended flights.

📌 Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia (CNMC) of Spain confirmed a fine against Booking.com for abuse of dominant position and violating European competition regulations in July. Originally fined €486 million, the penalty was reduced to €413 million after an appeal by the company. Booking.com expresses strong disagreement with the decision and plans to appeal, arguing that the Digital Market Act of the EU is a more appropriate context for such discussions. ????

🏖️ In Spain, Valencia follows Barcelona in tightening regulations on short-term rentals. The regional government plans to cap tourist rentals, proposing fines up to €600,000 for non-compliant owners. The initiative, explained by tourism official Nuria Montes, aims to control the unchecked growth of the market. Details on the first set of measures will be unveiled next Thursday.