The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers has welcomed Italy's prompt adoption of a comprehensive strategy to address problems highlighted by the European Court of Human Rights in the Cannavacciuolo and Others v. Italy case.
The case concerns large-scale pollution stemming from the illegal dumping, burying and burning of waste, often by organised criminal groups, in parts of the Campania region known as the Terra dei Fuochi. Increased rates of cancer and pollution of groundwater have been recorded in the area, where some 2.9 million people live.
First detailed examination by Committee of Ministers
In January 2025, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Italy had failed to deal with such a serious situation with the diligence and expedition required, despite having known about the problem for many years, in violation of Article 2 (right to life) of the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Committee of Ministers, which supervises the implementation of the Court's rulings by member states, carried out its first detailed examination of Italy's response to this pilot judgment in Strasbourg this week.
Italy demonstrates commitment to resolving issues
The Committee welcomed the high-level participation, the first of this kind for Italy, of the Deputy Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, Vannia Gava, and the Special Commissioner for Land Reclamation, General Giuseppe Vadalà, at the meeting as a demonstration of Italy's strong commitment to complying with the Court's judgment.
In its decision, published today, the Committee of Ministers welcomed Italy's comprehensive strategy to tackle different aspects of the problem, including identifying polluted areas, implementing targeted decontamination, managing pollution-related health risks and intensifying efforts to combat illegal waste disposal. The Committee also positively noted the appointment of a Special Commissioner to guide and coordinate the necessary measures.
The Committee of Ministers invited the authorities to pursue their efforts in implementing the strategy, ensuring that it is regularly updated, backed by adequate resources and coordinated with the stakeholders involved, also involving civil society.
In addition, the Committee noted with interest that the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) has been tasked with monitoring the implementation of the strategy, underlining that this task should include individuals who are free from state affiliation.
The Committee of Ministers also welcomed Italy's adoption of a global communication strategy and encouraged the authorities to rapidly finalise a single platform to keep the public informed of relevant information.
The Italian authorities were invited to submit comprehensive and updated information on these issues by the end of the year. The Committee decided to resume its consideration of this case in March 2027.
Read a summary of the European Court's judgment in Cannavacciuolo and Others v. Italy
Read the Committee of Ministers' full decision on Italy's implementation of the judgment
Read the notes on the case prepared by Council of Europe experts
