Press Release: State aid: Commission takes action against Italy for failure to respect Court ruling to recover illegal aid

On 20 November 2013 the European Commission referred Italy to the EU's Court of Justice for failure to implement a previous ruling by the Court that confirmed that certain reliefs granted by Italy from social security contributions in Venice and Chioggia were illegal state aid and had to be recovered from the beneficiaries. The Commission had originally reached this conclusion in a decision in 1999. As this is a second court referral for non-compliance with a previous judgment, the Commission has asked the Court of Justice to impose penalties on Italy.