Brussels, 20/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - Italy has received a warning from the European Commission over observance of European law on the award of public contracts (in particular Directive 2004/18/EC). Two reasoned opinions were sent on Thursday 16 October. The first relates to the award of a waste treatment contract to a privatised company without any competitive tendering process. The other case relates to the extension of a motorway (A12 Livorno-Civitavecchia) construction and management contract. Under European law, extension of a concession has to be seen as a new concession which can be awarded only after a competitive tendering procedure. Rome now has two months to end the infringements of EU law or provide the Commission with explanations, failing which the Commission may refer the matters to the European Court of Justice. (MD)