About Us
The Department is responsible for the implementation of the functions of strategic direction, coordination and promotion of the Government’s strategic action with regard to policies for the South, as defined by Article 2 of the Decree of the President of the Council of Ministers of 7 July 2025, published in the Official Gazette No. 174 of 29 July 2025.
1. The Department for the South acts as the support structure for the President of the Council of Ministers or the delegated political Authority in the exercise of the functions of strategic direction, coordination and promotion of the Government’s strategic action with regard to policies for the South.
The Department also provides support for initiatives, including legislative initiatives, related to oversight and verification, as well as for any other function assigned under the legislation in force to the President of the Council of Ministers or to the delegated political Authority.
In particular, the Department ensures the promotion and coordination of strategies, policies, measures and initiatives undertaken by the Ministries in the field of policies for the South, including through a specific Steering Committee established for this purpose.
2. The Department promotes and coordinates, among the competent administrations, all initiatives useful for the implementation of the provisions set out in Article 22 of Law No. 42 of 5 May 2009.
3. The Department also promotes and coordinates the establishment and implementation of the Special Economic Zone for Southern Italy (“Single ZES”), as provided for in Article 9 of Decree-Law No. 124 of 19 September 2023.
It exercises the functions set out in Decree-Law No. 91 of 20 June 2017 and promotes and coordinates the use of the resources referred to in Article 33(3) of Decree-Law No. 60 of 7 May 2024 for the implementation, in accordance with sector-specific legislation, of investments aimed at improving road networks and infrastructure, as well as developing public services and enhancing their quality.
4. The Department also carries out the following activities:
a) based on the guidelines of the ZES Steering Committee, it provides support to the delegated political Authority responsible for ZES matters in the exercise of the functions of strategic direction and coordination of the Government’s action in relation to the implementation of the Strategic Plan for the Single ZES;
b) it coordinates the Technical Secretariat of the ZES Steering Committee;
c) it prepares the draft Strategic Plan for the Single ZES referred to in Article 11 of Decree-Law No. 124 of 19 September 2023, ensuring the full involvement of the relevant Regions;
d) it carries out coordination and implementation tasks relating to the activities provided for in the Strategic Plan for the Single ZES;
e) it performs monitoring activities relating to the measures and incentives granted within the Single ZES;
f) it oversees the preliminary assessment activities for the formulation of proposals to update or amend the Strategic Plan for the Single ZES;
g) in liaison with the competent administrations, it defines the actions necessary to enhance the attractiveness of the Single ZES for businesses and to ensure the public availability and accessibility of relevant information;
h) in liaison with the competent administrations, it defines the actions necessary to prevent attempts of infiltration by organised crime;
i) it conducts the preliminary assessments and acts as the responsible authority for the purposes of issuing the single authorisation referred to in Article 15 of Decree-Law No. 124 of 19 September 2023, without prejudice to the provisions laid down in paragraphs 6 and 7 of the same Article 15;
l) it ensures the implementation of institutional communication and publicity activities relating to the Single ZES through the Single ZES web portal, also making use of other structures of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers;
m) it carries out the activities necessary for the management of the digital one-stop shop for productive activities within the Single ZES, known as the ZES Digital One-Stop Shop (S.U.D. ZES), operating within the Department;
n) it manages relations with the Revenue Agency, including with regard to eligible investment schemes.
5. The Department is organised into no more than two general-level management offices and five non-general management offices.
The Head of the Department for the South is Mr Giuseppe Romano, Attorney-at-law.