Italy Answer to the US / Russian Inspection at Mario Zucchelli Station in 2012 (CEP 12, 30 April 2013)

In January 2012, an inspection was conducted by the US and the Russian Federation at the Italian Station in Antarctic, pursuant to Article VII of the Antarctic Treaty of 1959 and Article 14 of the Protocol for Environmental Protection. The inspectors raised doubts as for the enforcement of the environmental standards at the Station, in the lack of any special legislation into the Italian legal order. The answer of Italy was that, on the one hand, the Antarctic Treaty and the Protocol are part of Italian national law, because of the implementing order adopted by the Parliament together with the authorization to ratification; on the other hand, the Expedition Leader has authority to adopt enforcing regulations, opposable to all the persons operating at the Station. Italy recognized, however, that further implementing measures should be taken, to provide further sanctions, other than the administrative ones, in cases of violations.