Overview

• In 2024, 98% of public procurement for services and supplies in Italy bypassed competitive procedures, relying on direct awards.
• Contracts just below the €135,000–€140,000 threshold have more than tripled since 2021, raising concerns over deliberate fragmentation to avoid competition.
• Public procurement spending in 2024 totaled €271.8 billion across 267,000 procedures, marking a 4.1% decline from 2023 and a 7.3% drop since 2022.
• Key sectors have spent less than 30% of their allocated PNRR funds, risking future procurement opportunities and slowing recovery efforts.
• ANAC emphasizes the need for stronger administrative safeguards, lobbying regulations, and swift adoption of the European anticorruption directive to combat evolving corruption schemes.