L'ITALIA EVITA, ALL'ULTIMO MINUTO, L'ISCRIZIONE DI VENEZIA NELLA LISTA DEL PATRIMONIO MONDIALE IN PERICOLO

By adopting Law Decree No. 103/2021 the Italian Government finally banned large cruise ships from the Giudecca and San Marco canals in Venice. The Decree was declaredly issued in order to avoid the inscription of “Venice and its Lagoon” on the List of the World Heritage in Danger, under the 1972 UNESCO Convention. The 2021 session of the World Heritage Committee decided not to proceed to the inscription, notwithstanding the contrary recommendations of the Centre and the advisory bodies. This article analyses the practice of Italian authorities and UNESCO bodies on the case and discusses the issue whether the consent of the territorial State is required for inscribing property on the List of the World Heritage in Danger.