The Council of the Calabria Region, in today’s session, on the joint proposal of the President Roberto Occhiuto and the Councilor for Tourism, Work and Economic Development, Giovanni Calabrese, approved the bill which modifies and integrates Regional Law no. 34 of 7 August 2018 regarding the classification of non-hotel accommodation facilities.
The main innovation concerns the introduction and regulation of the so-called “innovative accommodation facilities”, new forms of hospitality immersed in nature and created through removable artefacts, designed to respond to the growing demand for experiential and sustainable tourism.
The intervention aims to fill the existing regulatory gap on new forms of hospitality, while promoting the fight against illegal construction, the monitoring of tourist flows and the correct fulfillment of tax obligations.
The objective is to support a tourist offer increasingly oriented towards nature and authenticity, creating new opportunities for operators in the sector while respecting the environment and the landscape.
Businesses and investments: 40 million for the “STEP Technologies” Fund
Two other acts by the Calabrese councilor were then approved.
With one it was decided to increase the financial allocation of the “STEP Technologies” Fund by 40 million euros, intended to support and attract investments in the regional territory.
The additional resources will be aimed at companies operating in the region and will be divided between two strategic lines of intervention: 25 million euros will be allocated to Action 1.6.1, aimed at supporting investments in digital technologies, innovation and the development of deep tech technologies; 15 million euros will instead finance the interventions envisaged by Action 2.9.1, which promotes productive investments linked mainly to clean technologies and efficiency in the use of resources.
The initiative aims to strengthen the competitiveness of the regional production system, encouraging the adoption of advanced and sustainable technologies and creating favorable conditions for attracting new investments. With the same resolution, the addendum scheme to the financing agreement between the Calabria Region and Fincalabra was approved.
Hitachi development agreement and protection of legality
With the other provision, the draft Development Agreement was approved between the Calabria Region, the Ministry of Business and Made in Italy, the Campania Region, the National Agency for attracting investments and business development (Invitalia) and Hitachi, defining conditions, commitments and co-financing quota for an amount of over 300 thousand euros.
During the meeting, the Council shared the proposal of the Calabrese councilor for the establishment – when the time comes – of a civil party of the Calabria Region regarding the affair that led to the arrest of the trade unionist from Reggio, accused of having exerted pressure on the Hitachi company to favor the hiring of people reported by him.
Environmental protection and updating of the Natura 2000 network
Green light also given to three other deliberative proposals from the Councilor for the Environment, Antonio Montuoro.
The objectives and conservation measures of the Natura 2000 sites have been approved, developed in close collaboration with the managers of the areas concerned. The provision represents a very important update of the environmental protection framework and allows us to overcome the critical issues that emerged in the implementation of the previous measures, making the management of the sites more effective and coherent in terms of the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of habitats and species of community interest.
The review of conservation objectives and measures was conducted on the basis of the methodology shared at national level by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security with the Regions and Autonomous Provinces, in accordance with the criteria and parameters defined by the European Commission. The updating work has made it possible to adapt the management tools to the most recent technical-scientific and regulatory indications, while ensuring greater uniformity in the application of the provisions envisaged by the Natura 2000 Network.
Legality safeguards and valorisation of confiscated assets
The act of direction for the programming of financial resources to be allocated to the strengthening of legality safeguards in the regional territory was then approved. For the Region, this is a strategic objective that can be pursued through the 2021-2027 FSC programming, as part of the measure that supports infrastructure and redevelopment interventions for civil use of buildings and public spaces intended to host services and activities of collective interest.
The Executive has also established some changes and additions to the Plan for the valorisation of confiscated assets with the aim of giving a further boost to the valorisation of confiscated properties, financing additional interventions compared to those selected with the Sector Plan, approved with the previous resolution no. 574/2024.
With the same resolution, contributions were made to support the management of confiscated assets already assigned to Third Sector bodies and which operate in the regional territory.
Sport and Economy: ACES 2028 candidacy and Parco delle Serre budget
Furthermore, on the proposal of the Councilor for Sport, Eulalia Micheli, the Council approved the act of direction to launch the Region’s candidacy for the title of “ACES European Region of Sport 2028” as part of a broader strategy that aims to enhance sport as a lever for well-being, social inclusion, territorial cohesion and tourism development.
In economic matters, on the recommendation of the councilor, Marcello Minenna, the 2026-2028 budget forecast for the Serre Regional Natural Park was finally approved.