The services conference is an institution born in the 90s of the last century, at the same time as the Law on Administrative Procedure n. 241/1990, with the task of simplifying and accelerating the decision-making processes of public administrations, involved in particularly complex authorization activities for the approval of works, projects and programs, including those of private interest (e.g. one-stop shop for production activities).
How to hold the conference?
It is a common experience to be faced with a procedure characterized by “pathological” complexity due to the dispersion of administrative functions in the legal system and by “physiological” complexity due to a plurality of public interests, without any hierarchical or prevailing relationship.
To carry out the conference procedure correctly and, above all, effectively, the RUP cannot limit itself to a notarial function but must be able to take a position in the very frequent cases of interlocutory rulings, absence of administrations or dissents expressed by administrations that protect interests of higher constitutional rank (e.g. Superintendencies, Fire Brigades).
The Civil Service Guide
The Guide from the Presidency of the Council of Ministers – Department of Public Function, drawn up in collaboration with the Conference of Regions, ANCI and UPI, represents a valid aid for orienting yourself on the services conference.
The Guide (downloadable at the end of this contribution)in fact, focuses on all the fundamental points of the services conference. In particular, in 20 pages full of content, all the topics we deal with on a daily basis are addressed.
Given brief notes on how the simplified conference and the simultaneous conference have changed in 2026, the rules of the decision-making services conference are then illustrated, the methods of calling, carrying out and concluding the simplified services conference (online) and the simultaneous services conference (with meeting), the decision of the conference with its effects, the remedies for dissenting administrations appropriately differentiated according to the administrations involved.
Of particular practical interest, then, are the two flow diagrams shown on page. 12 and 18 which mark the times of the simplified and simultaneous conference.
Conclusions
We are aware that the Guide does not exhaust all knowledge. It is equally essential to turn to qualified professionals and experts to address the most delicate issues regarding the conference (just think, among all, of the difficulty of identifying the prevailing positions that allow the procedure to be concluded even in the event of dissent) on which a fundamental contribution is offered by administrative jurisprudence.
However, if you want to respect the constitutional principles of impartiality and good performance of the PA and the related principles of efficiency, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of administrative action, reading the Guide can be a valid tool for dealing with this delicate matter.
