Diritto dell'Unione europea e concessioni demaniali: più luci o più ombre nelle sentenze gemelle dell'Adunanza plenaria?

This piece aims to provide some critical observations regarding the main issues of Union law addressed by the twin rulings of the Council of State in Plenary Meeting. These rulings, while they conform for many aspects to EU law and pertinently recall the consolidated case-law of the Court of Justice, with regard to certain other issues put forward questionable solutions. We share the general need to assign concessions by means of public procedures, which the Plenary Meeting has fully acknowledged. However, there are some critical aspects in the rulings, both from practical-applicative and theoretical standpoints, in their references to the requirement of a certain cross-border interest, to the principle of the reverse vertical direct effect and, above all, to the maintenance of the effectiveness of the extensions of concessions until 31 December 2023. In any event, it is probable that these rulings will fuel debate in the years to come, as they leave several issues unresolved.