Following the approval in the Council of Ministers on October 16, 2023, to request the European Commission to start an infringement procedure against Austria for the bans and restrictions on the movement of commercial vehicles along the Brenner axis, on February 15, 2024, the Italian Government announced the dispatch of the formal notice letter. The document cites Article 259 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The next step lies with the European Commission, which must decide whether to initiate the infringement proceedings. If affirmative, Brussels will send a formal notice to Austria, giving it two months to submit its observations. Should Vienna fail to convince the Commission of its reasons and maintain the bans, the Commission may refer the case to the European Court of Justice and request the payment of a fine (either a daily penalty or lump sum).
