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Eurofound's EU PolicyWatch collates information on the responses of government and social partners to the COVID-19 crisis, the war in Ukraine, rising inflation, as well as gathering examples of company practices aimed at mitigating the social and economic impacts.

Factsheet for measure IT-2020-12/993 Updated – measures in Italy

Suspension of evictions

Sospensione degli sfratti

Country Italy , applies nationwide
Time period Temporary, 17 March 2020 – 30 June 2021
Context COVID-19
Type Legislations or other statutory regulations
Category Measures to prevent social hardship
– Keeping or obtaining a safe home
Author Lisa Dorigatti (University of Milan) and Eurofound
Measure added 14 July 2020 (updated 11 January 2021)

Background information

Among the measures taken by the Italian government to deal with the crisis that the country is experiencing due to COVID-19 pandemic, Law Decree n. 18 of 17 March 2020 (art. 103) provided for the suspension of evictions, both residential and non-residential, until 30 June 2020. The term was later postponed to 31 December 2020 by an amendment to Law Decree n. 34 of 19 May 2020.

Content of measure

The Law Decree n. 18 of 17 March 2020 (art. 103) provided for the suspension of evictions, both residential and non-residential, until 30 June 2020, in order to cope with the COVID-19 health crisis and mainly avoid social hardship. According to the measure, the execution of the property release measures is suspended. It is, therefore, not possible to carry them out until the date indicated. The term was later postponed to 31 December 2020 by an amendment to Law Decree n. 34 of 19 May 2020 presented by the parties Leu (Free and Equals) and PD (Democratic Party) in the Parliament's Budget Commission.

Updates

The following updates to this measure have been made after it came into effect.

30 December 2020

In order to support people and to grant them a safe home in the persisting COVID-19 emergency, Law Decree No. 183 of 31 December 2020 extend the suspension of evictions to 30 June 2021.

28 October 2020

In order to support people in the context of a second wave of COVID-19 contagion, Law Decree No. 137 of 28 October 2020 (art. 4) extend the suspension of evictions to 31 December 2020.

Use of measure

No information available.

Target groups

Workers Businesses Citizens
Does not apply to workers Does not apply to businesses Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors Funding
National government
No special funding required

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

Trade unions Employers' organisations
Role No involvement No involvement
Form Not applicable Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

  • No involvement
  • Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

No involvement of social partners.

Views and reactions

Giorgio Spaziani Testa, president of Confedilizia (the association of home owners), strongly criticised the extension of the suspension of evictions arguing that "the blocking of evictions is an irresponsible act and an insult to property rights".

Sources

Citation

Eurofound (2020), Suspension of evictions, measure IT-2020-12/993 (measures in Italy), EU PolicyWatch, Dublin, https://static.eurofound.europa.eu/covid19db/cases/IT-2020-12_993.html

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Disclaimer: This information has not been subject to the full Eurofound evaluation, editorial and publication process.