The Court of Appeal of Milan has accepted the appeal filed by a group of Taranto citizens against Ilva in extraordinary administration and Acciaierie d'Italia in extraordinary administration, overturning the first-instance ruling of the Tribunal. The judges ordered the suspension of steelmaking activities in the hot area within three months. The resumption of operations is subject to two binding conditions: complete and integral asbestos remediation and a drastic reduction of fine dust emissions (PM10 and PM2.5).

The measure stems from the finding of a "persistent deterioration of the plant" and the resulting danger to public health. The judges also partially disapplied the Integrated Environmental Authorization (AIA) 2025, considering it lacking adequate safeguards on fine dust for the planned production scenario of 6 million tons per year. The residents' request regarding greenhouse gas cuts was instead rejected.

The court's decision came at a delicate stage of negotiations for the sale of the industrial complex. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni convened an urgent meeting at Palazzo Chigi with ministers Marina Calderone, Tommaso Foti, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and Adolfo Urso, together with undersecretaries Alfredo Mantovano and Giovanbattista Fazzolari. The government acknowledged the ruling, which came one day before a scheduled meeting with trade unions.

The Council of Ministers confirmed the allocation of an additional tranche of the loan intended to ensure the company's operational continuity, pending the completion of the sale of the cold area. Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti described the situation as a development that upsets the ongoing scenarios, while acknowledging that court rulings must be respected.

The Indian group Jindal confirmed its interest in acquiring the former Ilva in Taranto, both for the cold area and the hot area, including the construction of a new carbon-free furnace. The group announced this in a statement released by its legal advisor Chiomenti, stressing that the commitment is subject to the definition of the relevant agreements.

The Five Star Movement, through a statement by vice president Mario Turco, described the ruling as certification of the insufficiency of the measures adopted by the government in recent years, judging the policies pursued so far as entirely inadequate with respect to the risks to the health and environment of Taranto's citizens.