CIPESS adds 228.4 million to the 2014-2020 Metropolitan Cities program

The CIPESS has approved the amendment of the Complementary Operational Programme (POC) for action and cohesion “Metropolitan Cities” 2014-2020, increasing its allocation by 228,366,103.50 euros. The decision is contained in Resolution no. 42/2026, adopted in the session of August 4, 2026, and published in the Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series no. 250 of October 27, 2026, with reference 26A05566. The program thus increases from 240,004,120.55 to 468,370,224.05 euros.

A piece of the PON Metro

The POC “Metropolitan Cities” is the complementary program to the National Operational Programme Metropolitan Cities ERDF-ESF Metro 2014-2020 (PON Metro), funded by the resources of the Revolving Fund referred to in Law no. 183 of April 16, 1987. The program was approved by CIPE resolution no. 46 of August 10, 2016, and subsequently redetermined several times: by CIPE resolution no. 11 of April 4, 2019, by CIPESS resolution no. 41 of June 9, 2021, and by CIPESS resolution no. 12 of March 27, 2025, which revoked resources for 283,400,000.00 euros, bringing the allocation back to 240,004,120.55 euros.

The now-approved increase stems from Art. 242, paragraphs 2 and 3, of Decree-Law no. 34 of May 19, 2020, converted by Law no. 77 of July 17, 2020, which allocates to complementary programs the resources reimbursed by the European Union for emergency expenses advanced by the State and those made available by the 100 percent EU co-financing rate. In detail, the increase consists of two items:

• 98,506,048.56 euros deriving from the reporting of emergency expenses advanced by the State (Art. 242, paragraph 2);
• 129,860,054.94 euros deriving from the application of the 100 percent EU co-financing rate (Art. 242, paragraph 3).

The immediately available cash resources amount to 411,244,270.62 euros; further resources will become available following the accounting operations of the PON Metro.

The new allocation by area

The resolution adjusts the final amounts of the allocations for Area IV and remodulates the allocations for Areas I, II, and III. The updated financial plan is as follows:

• Area I - Actions complementary to the PON Metro strategy: from 210,000,000.00 to 224,300,000.00 euros (+14,300,000.00);
• Area II - Pilot projects: from 23,600,000.00 to 8,000,000.00 euros (-15,600,000.00);
• Area III - Technical assistance: from 6,404,120.55 to 7,704,120.55 euros (+1,300,000.00);
• Area IV - Interventions pursuant to Art. 242, paragraphs 2 and 3: from 0.00 to 228,366,103.50 euros.

The expenditure schedule is redetermined over two time windows: 248,621,597.41 euros for the years 2015-2025 and 219,748,626.64 euros for 2026, for a total of 468,370,224.05 euros.

The administrative process and the December 31, 2026 deadline

The proposal was formulated by the Department for Cohesion Policies of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and received a favorable opinion from the State-Regions Conference during the session on August 3, 2026. The agreement of the Ministry of Economy and Finance was acquired via note prot. DIPE-A n. 9952 of August 4, 2026, while the note serving as the basis for the Committee meeting is DIPE prot. n. 9891-P of August 4, 2026. The resolution is signed by the Minister for European Affairs, the PNRR, and Cohesion Policies Tommaso Foti, acting as Chairman of the Committee, and follows the approval in the session of August 4, 2026.

Pursuant to art. 5, paragraph 7, of the CIPESS internal regulations, the text is transmitted to the Ministry of Economy and Finance for public finance verifications and then submitted for the signature of the Secretary, Alessandro Morelli, and the Chairman of the Committee. The expiration deadline for the complementary operational programs of the 2014-2020 programming remains fixed at December 31, 2026, pursuant to art. 242, paragraph 7, of Decree-Law no. 34 of 2020. The resolution entrusts the Department for Cohesion Policies with the periodic monitoring of physical, financial, and procedural data toward the single monitoring system at the State General Accounting Office - IGRUE, as well as anti-fraud obligations and the recovery of sums in the event of forfeiture of the benefit.

Why it matters

The operation makes available to metropolitan cities and metropolitan municipalities nearly double the resources previously allocated to the complementary program, at a phase where the closure of the 2014-2020 programming requires spending by the end of the year: an additional financial margin for works and services in large urban areas, but also a tight reporting constraint.

Official source: Official Gazette of the Italian Republic, General Series n. 250 of October 27, 2026 - CIPESS Resolution August 4, 2026, n. 42/2026 (26A05566).