In order to ensure a transparent and participatory debate with the territory for major works of general interest that generate a significant economic, social and environmental impact, Article 22 of Legislative Decree 50/2016 (Procurement Code) introduced the institution of Public Debate, a fundamental participatory democracy tool to ensure maximum inclusion of all stakeholders in the discussion and planning phases of a work.

With the goal of increasing the involvement of local organizations in sharing projects, the scope of works to be subjected to Public Debate, initially defined by DPCM 76/2018, was significantly expanded by Law Decree 77/2021, "Governance of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan and first measures to strengthen administrative structures and accelerate and streamline procedures", and then by MIMS Decree 442/2021. By reducing the size thresholds of the projects to be submitted to the procedure, the Decrees expanded the number of works on which stakeholders are called upon to express their opinion, to include those works funded in whole or in part by the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the National Plan of Complementary Investments (PNC). 

Among RFI projects submitted/to be submitted to Public Debate, some - e.g. railway lines affecting several regions - are segmented by 'functional lots', with a separate procedure developed for each one of them. To date, RFI works subjected to Public Debate are at different stages of development.

The Public Debate procedures on the following work is ongoing:

• "Nuovo Ponte San Michele tra Calusco d’Adda e Paderno d’Adda".

While the Public Debate procedures on the following works has been completed:

• Trento ring road;
• Rome-Pescara line for the Interporto d'Abruzzo-Manoppello and Manoppello-Scafa lots;
• new Salerno-Reggio Calabria HS line for lot 1a Battipaglia-Romagnano, for the Cosenza-Paola/S. Lucido doubling project, for lot 1b Romagnano-Buonabitacolo and even interconnection with the Battipaglia-Potenza line, and for lot 1c Buonabitacolo-Praia;
• Orte-Falconara line for lot 2 Genga-Serra San Quirico doubling project;
• Tortona-Voghera quadrupling project;
• "Closure of the Rome railway ring" for lot 1b Vigna Clara-Tor di Quinto section, and for lot 2 Tor di Quinto-Val d'Ala section, and amendments to the Tiburtina General Regulatory Plan (PRG);
• Codogno-Cremona-Mantova line doubling - Phase 2 Codogno-Piadena route doubling;
• Rome-Pescara line for the Pescara Porta Nuova-San Giovanni Teatino lots; San Giovanni Teatino-Chieti and Chieti-Interporto d'Abruzzo lots;
• Bologna-Castel Bolognese Riolo Terme quadrupling project.

Completion of those works contributes to the achievement of the2030 Agenda Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and in particular to the pursuit of SDG 9, 'Build resilient infrastructure and promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation', with expected effects on the railway infrastructure's quality, reliability, sustainability and resilience. The benefits associated with this objective cut across the 2030 Agenda and are instrumental in the pursuit of other sustainability goals.