After a lengthy process that began in July 2020 with the initial technical proposal, the decree was officially published in January 2025 on the website of the Department for Cohesion Policies and Southern Italy. The decree, signed by the Prime Minister on 25 November 2024, formalises the creation of the Simplified Logistics Zone in Tuscany. The ZLS will operate for seven years, with the possibility of a seven-year extension. It encompasses four ports (Livorno, Piombino, Marina di Carrara, and Portoferraio), two freight hubs (Amerigo Vespucci in Guasticce, near Livorno, and Tuscany Central in Prato), and Pisa Airport.
Tuscany's initial proposal for the ZLS was submitted in 2020. It underwent multiple revisions: a second version was filed in February 2022, followed by a third in November 2022, a fourth in June 2023, and finally, the definitive version, approved with modifications requested by the Ministry of Economy.
The ZLS offers several benefits to businesses operating within its boundaries, including streamlined administrative procedures, investment tax credits, and the possibility of establishing customs-free zones. Simplified Logistics Zones were first introduced in 2018, leveraging port infrastructure to create favourable economic and legal frameworks that deviate from standard regulations. Businesses within these zones are also eligible for tax credits on investments, as stipulated by Article 13 of Decree-Law 60/2024.
In addition to Tuscany, requests for ZLS designation have been submitted for Veneto (including the ports of Venice and Rodigno), Liguria (Genoa’s port and hinterland), Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, and Friuli Venezia Giulia.
