De italienske myndigheder hævder, at princippet om, at støtten skal have tilskyndende virkning, er overholdt, også selv om arbejdet blev påbegyndt inden indgivelsen af støtteansøgningen, jf. bestemmelserne i artikel 9 i regionallov nr. 9 af 1998.
The Italian authorities contended that the principle of incentive effect was complied with even where the work had begun before the application was submitted under Article 9 of Regional Act No 9 of 1998.