by EH
In a significant move to fortify environmental protections along Friuli Venezia Giulia’s coast, the regional government has approved a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at tightening surveillance and improving cross-border waste transport controls. Proposed by Fabio Scoccimarro, the Regional Councilor for Environmental Protection, the initiative will bring together the regional government, the Maritime Directorate of Trieste, and the Friuli Venezia Giulia Regional Environmental Protection Agency (Arpa). A key feature of the plan is a dedicated 200,000-euro regional investment designed to promote specialized environmental oversight along the scenic yet vulnerable coastal regions.
“This agreement brings undeniable strategic value,” said Scoccimarro. “It allows us to leverage specific expertise in environmental monitoring while enabling cross-training sessions that will deepen our collaborative efforts on issues ranging from coastal protections to cross-border waste transport management.”
With coastal pollution an ongoing concern and increasing attention to Italy’s borders for waste transportation, officials have expressed optimism about the protocol’s potential to enhance cross-agency coordination. The agreement formalizes a series of operational commitments, including setting guidelines for environmental surveillance, sharing information and data, and conducting training sessions for personnel. Notably, the protocol aligns with recent Italian legislative reforms that mandate closer cooperation among regulatory bodies and demand more synchronized responses to environmental threats across the region.
By entering into these formal agreements, “we are solidifying a framework of shared guidelines, documentation, and collaboration with regional and national oversight authorities,” Scoccimarro said. The recent legislative decree, aimed at standardizing administrative controls over economic activities, also mandates that monitoring bodies work more effectively with local businesses — an approach Friuli Venezia Giulia hopes to advance through this agreement.
As part of its responsibilities, Arpa will lead the scientific and technical aspects of environmental oversight, providing expertise and data-sharing to support the protocol’s objectives. The agency will also coordinate directly with the Maritime Directorate on cross-border initiatives, further bolstering the reach of coastal monitoring.
The Maritime Directorate, also known as the Friuli Venezia Giulia Coast Guard, will engage in joint environmental monitoring with Arpa and the regional government. Its main focus will be the protection of the coastal marine environment and monitoring cross-border waste transport. “This partnership enables us to work toward common standards in identifying and assessing environmental violations,” Scoccimarro said, noting that the Coast Guard’s involvement will help protect Friuli Venezia Giulia from potential infiltration by organized crime, particularly concerning waste disposal networks.
Experts believe that the protocol will help to prevent environmental crimes that could compromise the natural and economic resources of the region. With its delicate ecosystems and close proximity to international borders, Friuli Venezia Giulia has long sought comprehensive environmental management. By integrating data, training, and surveillance, officials hope to achieve a new standard in safeguarding Italy’s coastal environment.
As Scoccimarro concluded, “The collaboration will ensure our coastlines are not only better protected but also that we continue to uphold the highest standards for environmental governance.”
