Autonomy Lombardy: ok on health and professions

Context

In brief

• The Joint Commission has approved the Resolution on differentiated autonomy.
• The Resolution concerns health, civil protection, professions, and social security.
• The Regional Council will continue the negotiation process with the State.

Key facts

• What: Approval of the Resolution on differentiated autonomy.
• When: September 2, 2026.
• Where: Palazzo Pirelli, Milan.
• Who: Special Commission “Autonomy and reorganization of local autonomies” and Commission for Institutional Affairs and Local Entities.
• Amount: Not specified.

The Special Commission “Autonomy and reorganization of local autonomies” and the Commission for Institutional Affairs and Local Entities held a joint session at Palazzo Pirelli on September 2, 2026, to vote on the Resolution on differentiated autonomy. The Resolution, approved by a majority, mandates the Regional Council to continue the negotiation process with the State. The texts at the center of the vote concern the final agreement frameworks agreed with the Government, namely the attribution of additional competences and functions to the Lombardy Region in non-LEP matters (“civil protection”, “professions”, “complementary and supplementary social security”) and in the matter of “health protection – coordination of public finance”.

Reactions of the Presidents

The President of the Special Commission on Autonomy, Giovanni Malanchini (Lega), stated: “I am very satisfied with a process that has lasted three and a half years and will see its concluding act next week with the final vote in the Assembly. Regardless of all political positions, I want to thank all the commissioners for the relationship of loyal and correct collaboration that has characterized these years. Our work has always been based on total transparency and openness to dialogue with the minorities, carving out for the Commission a role entirely independent and autonomous from the Council, guaranteeing and protecting the centrality of the Regional Council. Thanks to this process, we arrive at a framework of functions that will allow Lombardy to respond with greater promptness, efficiency, and subsidiarity to the needs of citizens and businesses.”

The President of the Commission for Institutional Affairs, Matteo Forte (FdI), shared the same view, emphasizing the significance of the approved directive: “We are facing an important moment that is the outcome of solid work but represents a starting point and not an end. Differentiated autonomy is a dynamic process: with this Resolution, we give a clear mandate to the Council to continue the dialogue on further competences. What we approve is a necessary tool to ensure greater proximity of institutions to the needs of the territories.”

During today’s session, an amendment presented by Councilor Onorio Rosati (AVS) was put to a vote and rejected by a majority. The amendment requested that “the contents of the 2024 Constitutional Court ruling No. 192 be sufficiently valued in the text of the Resolution, fully incorporating what is contained in the premises of the preintese between the Lombardy Region and the Government.”

A negative vote was also cast for the popular petition promoted by some associations (from the Associations Coordinamento per la Democrazia Costituzionale – Milan, Libertà e Giustizia – Milan Circle and Comitati per il ritiro di ogni autonomia differenziata – Lombardy) which had collected, by the end of 2025, through the online platform Open Petition, the signatures of over 1500 citizens and asked the regional representatives to interrupt the process on differentiated autonomy.

From the opposition benches, numerous Councilors intervened: Carlo Borghetti (PD), Emilio Del Bono (PD), Gian Mario Fragomeli (PD), Michela Palestra (Patto Civico), and Onorio Rosati (AVS), all agreeing on their opposition to the Resolution.

“This is an act of grave political and procedural coercion that completely empties the sovereignty and guiding role of the Regional Council,” commented the minority representatives. “It is unacceptable that the Council has reactivated the dialogue with the Government based on an act from 2017 that is now completely outdated after the Constitutional Court ruling and the reduction of competences from 23 to just 4 matters. The choice was made to accelerate unjustifiably without prior debate in the Assembly of this legislature, ignoring the obligation of a rigorous investigation and bypassing a true preventive involvement of local entities, which risk having to manage...

Operational details

The approval of the Resolution has significant implications for commuters who work in Lombardy and reside in Ticino. The greater regional autonomy could lead to changes in health policies, civil protection, and professions, which could directly affect the daily lives of commuters. For example, greater regional control over health policies could result in more efficient management of resources and better quality of services provided, also benefiting commuters who use the Lombard health system.

Useful planning tools

To estimate your pension strategy, use the pension planner and the pillar 3 simulator.

Key points

For cross-border workers who wish to delve into the implications of the Resolution on differentiated autonomy, it is important to follow some concrete actions. First of all, it is essential to stay updated on the new regional policies and the requirements to access the services offered by the Lombardy Region. Cross-border workers can consult the official website of the Lombardy Region to obtain updated and detailed information.

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Source: varesenews.it