Italy is strongly opposed to the introduction of the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ (or ‘DNSH’) principle in the next long-term European budget, as confirmed by an internal Council of the EU document seen by Agence Europe.
This key precept provides, in general terms, that European funding must not ‘significantly harm’ the Union’s environmental objectives. Its retention within the post-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) had been the subject of an agreement around the table of the EU27 at the end of June, in the ‘Performance and Monitoring’ regulation governing the future budget (see EUROPE 13897/25).
However, in a statement annexed to the EU Council minutes dated 26 June, Rome justified its abstention by its opposition to the ‘Do No Significant Harm’ principle as envisaged. “As experience under the ‘Next Generation EU’ framework has shown, an overly burdensome application of the principle may delay or discourage investments in strategic sectors”, the document states.
Earlier in June, Giorgia Meloni had already sharply criticised the DNSH, through which the EU would, in her view, create “an obstacle to its own industry and its own competitiveness”.
Her government is advocating “a presumption of compliance whereby activities that fully comply with the relevant EU environmental legislation are deemed to satisfy the DNSH principle, unless there is evidence to the contrary”, the Italian statement defends.
Rome is nevertheless leaving the door open to discussion and thus acknowledges that, over the course of past negotiations, the draft ‘Performance’ regulation “has improved”. The EU Council compromise does indeed provide that the principle will apply only where this is “feasible and appropriate”, and in a “proportionate” manner.
Moreover, the draft guidelines intended to clarify its implementation, prepared by the Commission, already suggest that the institution would be ready to multiply the exceptions (see EUROPE 13906/9). (Original version in French by Clément Solal)