Italian Minister Adolfo Urso announced that Acciaierie d'Italia's maintenance programme aims to restore a 4 million metric tons annual production run rate by March 2026 at its Taranto steelworks. The government is exploring over 15 diversification projects across advanced manufacturing, energy, logistics, digital technologies, & agri-industry sectors. These initiatives could utilize 2,000-plus hectares of available industrial land including former Ilva plant areas, port authority property, & decommissioned military sites. However, industry sources suggest the government is "merely buying time," as no genuine buyer interest exists for investing billions amid declining European steel demand, while restarting blast furnaces would increase emissions opposed by local authorities.