With a recent spike in coronavirus cases after weeks of decline, the government considered prolonging the emergency decree on Wednesday.
The dates reportedly being evaluated by the government are October 31 or the end of this year, with a decision expected in the coming days as part of a new decree.
The state of emergency has already been in place since January 31, 2020, as the first cases of coronavirus were detected in Rome.
It grants special powers to national and regional authorities in order to rapidly respond to the constantly changing situation, cutting through red tape to implement, modify or revoke emergency measures if and when required.
The extension of the emergency legislation is to be part of a decree with a raft of new measures, including the expansion of the “green pass”, with people set to be required to present a certificate showing they have been vaccinated, tested negative or recovered from COVID-19, for access to trains, stadiums, cinemas and possibly indoor restaurants.
A change is also expected to the parameters governing Italy’s four-tiered system of coronavirus restrictions, switching the focus from the number of COVID-19 cases to the number of patients hospitalised.
The new decree is set to be approved by Friday and will likely come into force from Monday, July 26.
Italian law states that a national state of emergency cannot be declared for more than 12 months in one go, and can only be extended for a maximum of 12 months beyond that, making two years in total.
So far, the state of emergency has been extended by between two and six months each time.
As recently as last month, some politicians including the hard-right parties the League and Brothers of Italy (FdI) were calling for the measure to be dropped entirely, saying that it was time for the country to return to normality.
Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi continues to favour a more cautious approach to easing restrictions, drawing on the advice of the COVID-19 emergency commission and scientific advisory panel – which was set up under the state of emergency rules early on in the pandemic.
