Italy’s application of Directive 2006/123/EC to the health and social care sectors

Question for written answer E-000717/2025 to the Commission Rule 144 Marco Falcone (PPE), Fulvio Martusciello (PPE), Flavio Tosi (PPE), Letizia Moratti (PPE), Giusi Princi (PPE), Salvatore De Meo (PPE), Massimiliano Salini (PPE) Subject: Italy’s application of Directive 2006/123/EC to the health and social care sectors While the Bolkestein Directive (Directive 2006/123/EC) guarantees that economic operators can freely access and compete in European markets, there are many exceptions. One concerns health and social care services which, as expressly stated in Article 22, are outside of the Directive’s scope. Unfortunately, by means of Law No 118 of 5 August 2022, the Italian Parliament violated an EU principle by establishing that the Bolkestein Directive is indeed applicable to health and social care services. Having become aware of the complexity of the situation, the Italian Parliament has since postponed the above provision’s entry into force to 1 January 2028. Opening up the private healthcare sector to public procurement procedures risks giving rise to a profit-first culture in which entrepreneurs show little interest for the effectiveness of public health investments. To avoid such a scenario, investments in the field of health are subject to sustainability requirements. In the light of the above: 1. What measures will the Commission implement in order to maintain balance in the healthcare sector? 2. What will the Commission do to ensure that the Bolkestein...