International Federation
for Human Rights

In April 2018 FIDH, its member organization Unione Forense Per La Tutela Dei Diritti Umani (UFTDU) and partner organisations Peacelink and HRIC published "The Environmental Disaster and Human Rights Violations of the ILVA steel plant in Italy", which denounced the environmental and health crisis and the government’s lack of action in the ILVA scandal. One of several alarming studies showed that children living in areas at risk of pollution are 54% more likely to develop cancer than the regional average, men 30% more likely, women 20%. [1] These studies were also used by the Court as a basis for its decision.

The detrimental consequences of the activities of ILVA on the environment were known to the Italian State since at least the 1990s. However, the adoption of preventive measures or sanctions was deliberately delayed, in flagrant violation of Italy’s European and international human rights obligations. The organizations called on the government adopt urgent measures to limit and contain the current human and environmental disaster caused by the ILVA steel factory.

"This decision of the Court restores dignity to Taranto and its citizens, especially those living in the most affected neighborhood of Tamburi. Now, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe will monitor that the Italian government urgently start the decontamination of the plant and neighboring territories affected by environmental pollution.
Today Strasbourg strongly states that business must comply with fundamental human rights, there are no possible exceptions!" concluded the lawyer Prof. Anton Giulio Lana, president of UFTDU.

The impact of the public health crisis on the children living in Taranto was denounced once again by UNICEF and Peacelink in November when the spokesperson for UNICEF Italy declared that the organisation will ’adopt’ Taranto’ children.

The European Court of Human Rights not often accepts cases and passes judgments in human rights cases related to business activities, this is therefore an important decision for the jurisprudence of the Court on the matter. Following this decision, the Italian government has the obligation to address the consequences of ILVA activities and to prevent future damages. But this decision also sends a strong message against the impunity businesses often benefit from in such cases throughout the world. It also shows the need for further action at national and international level to protect human rights from corporate violations.