Italy’s government has approved measures to expand domestic oil and gas production, with commissioners to be appointed to help local authorities speed up licences for hydrocarbon extraction, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday.
The commissioners will work alongside regional and municipal bodies to simplify the authorisation process for new exploration and production projects, according to Meloni.
The move forms part of the government’s push to increase energy produced within Italy and reduce reliance on imported supplies. Meloni has argued that the country should make fuller use of its own oil and gas resources, including offshore reserves and deposits in Basilicata.
Speaking at a Brothers of Italy event in Bari last week, the prime minister said Italy intended to raise the amount of oil extracted from its waters. She also said the government wanted as much of the energy needed by the country as possible to be produced domestically.
The latest measures come as Rome seeks to strengthen energy security and accelerate investment in hydrocarbon production, while continuing to pursue longer-term plans for nuclear power.
