Source: European Parliament
The Commission approved Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) under Regulation (EU) 2021/24[1], which establishes milestones and targets detailed in the annex to the Council Implementing Decision[2]. The Commission works closely with the Italian authorities to ensure smooth implementation and compliance to NRRP requirements.
The NRRP does not directly finance teachers’ recruitment costs, but supports a reform (Mission 4, Component 1, Reform 2.1) to improve recruitment and qualification processes, aiming to increase professional standards. The reform targets the recruitment of at least 70 000 new teachers covered by the reform through permanent contracts by 2026.
The reform introduced a structured qualification pathway and transitional measures to allow teachers with temporary contracts to participate in recruitment competitions and complete the qualification process during the ‘probationary period’.
This contributes to reducing the excessive use of consecutive fixed-term contracts in the school system, improving working conditions and guaranteeing more stable employment conditions.
Under EU law (Directive 1999/70/EC[3]), Member States are required to take effective steps to prevent the abuse of successive fixed-term contracts.
The EU Court of Justice held that there is no general obligation on Member States to automatically convert fixed-term contracts to permanent ones, but it is for the Member States to lay down the conditions for their conversions.
Nevertheless, where abuse has taken place, effective guarantees for the protection of workers must be provided for. In that regard, Italy amended its rules on financial compensation for misuse of fixed-term employment contracts, with law of 14/11/2024, n. 166[4].
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2021/241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 February 2021 establishing the Recovery and Resilience Facility.
- [2] Annex to the COUNCIL IMPLEMENTING DECISION amending the Implementing Decision of 13 July 2021 on the approval of the assessment of the recovery and resilience plan for Italy eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CONSIL:ST_9399_2024_ADD_1&qid=1717059380496
- [3] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/1999/70/oj/eng
- [4] G.U. 14/11/2024, n. 267.