by InTrieste
The regional government of Friuli Venezia Giulia has expressed strong support for a national bill aimed at reducing bureaucratic requirements for Italy’s Pro Loco associations—volunteer-run local organizations that promote culture, tourism, and community events—particularly those hosting smaller gatherings.
Regional Councillor for Productive Activities and Tourism Sergio Emidio Bini said the measure aligns with the regional government’s broader commitment to simplifying regulations for businesses, associations, and citizens. “The Regional Council’s national bill seeks to lessen the excessive bureaucratic burdens that weigh on Pro Loco groups organizing local events, even of modest scale,” Bini said. “Like the new Regional Code on Commerce and Tourism, this initiative strongly supports simplification—a core principle of this administration since its first day in office.”
The bill, titled “Provisions for the Organization of Events Expressing Local Traditions and Delegation to the Government for the Comprehensive Reorganization of the Sector,” was unanimously approved by the Regional Council earlier in the day.
Bini emphasized that the proposal aims to balance public safety and health with the need to preserve the community spirit behind these initiatives. “The goal is to find common ground between ensuring safety and allowing associations the freedom to organize events,” he said. “Simplification should primarily concern smaller events, based on a proportional approach that considers the true scale of the initiative.”
Friuli Venezia Giulia, Bini noted, counts 240 Pro Loco associations—more than its 215 municipalities—highlighting their central role in community life. “There’s no better indicator of how vital these organizations are to keeping our traditions alive and our towns vibrant,” he said.
Across the region, over 20,000 volunteers contribute to the organization of roughly 1,400 events each year, from local festivals to cultural fairs. “It’s a system admired at the national level because it works,” Bini added. “These events not only promote our region’s cultural, natural, historical, and artistic heritage but also enrich its already diverse tourism offerings.”
To further support these associations, the regional government has allocated €900,000 in funding for 2025 to assist Pro Loco operations and promotional activities.
Bini concluded that the proposed changes represent “a common-sense measure to unlock the positive energy within our communities—energy that is too often constrained by regulations that are overly strict or difficult to apply.”
