Italian Legislation in Times of Pandemics and International Law: The Way out of the Emergency

Abstract

Abstract Building upon the practice analysed in the previous issue of this Yearbook, the present inquiry provides a follow-up of the normative framework in force in the Italian legal system in 2022 to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. By enacting a plethora of prescriptive measures, Italy either implemented, derogated, or violated international obligations. In this respect, this contribution pursues a twofold objective. On the one hand, it is aimed at assessing Italy’s attitude towards international law. To this end, rather than reporting entirely new measures, it will attempt to point out what happened to the main policies Italy implemented during the emergency. On the other hand, it intends to provide a useful tool for comparative analysis. The conclusions that will be reached may indeed allow for a comparison with the practice of other countries which have experienced a situation similar to that of Italy, both to draw analogies or differences regarding the stance they have taken towards international law and to assess the latter’s role in global health governance.