Messina Bridge

On August 5, 2025, a fundamental page was written in the history of the Strait of Messina Bridge. On that date, the construction contract was signed between the concessionary company Stretto di Messina S.p.A. and the Eurolink consortium, led by the Webuild group. The agreement, with a total value of 10.6 billion euros, represents the formal act that marks the start of the concrete execution of Italy’s most long-awaited and debated infrastructure project.

The signature came just days before another key moment: on August 6, 2025, CIPESS (the Interministerial Committee for Economic Planning and Sustainable Development) approved the definitive project for the Bridge, declaring it to be of public utility. This step made it possible to begin the executive procedures, confirming the project’s technical and economic validity.

Contract Details

• Signatories: On one side, the company Stretto di Messina S.p.A., the public concessionaire tasked with managing the project’s realization; on the other, the Eurolink consortium, a grouping of companies led by Webuild and already the winning bidder of the tender.

• Date: The signing took place on August 5, 2025, in Rome, in a highly significant institutional context.

• Value: The agreement amounts to 10.6 billion euros, a figure that includes the construction of the Bridge and its main connecting infrastructure.

• Content: The act constitutes an addendum to the contract already in place between the concessionaire and the general contractor, confirming Eurolink as the entity responsible for building the Bridge and defining responsibilities, timelines, and execution methods.

Context and Previous Steps

The contract signing came after a detailed process marked by important institutional milestones.

• Program Agreement: On July 16, 2025, a program agreement was signed involving the Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Regions of Sicily and Calabria, the Stretto di Messina S.p.A. company itself, as well as Rete Ferroviaria Italiana and Anas. This agreement defined the roles of the various bodies and the financial commitments necessary to guarantee the project’s funding and coordinated management.

• Approval of the Definitive Project: A few days later, on August 6, 2025, CIPESS gave the green light to the definitive project for the fixed link, declaring its public utility. This step consolidated the project’s technical, economic, and regulatory framework, making the contract signing and the start of execution phases possible.

Reactions and Debate

As often happens with a project of this scale, the contract signing inevitably sparked contrasting reactions. On one hand, institutions and supporters hailed the agreement as a historic milestone, capable of revitalizing Southern Italy and positioning Italy at the center of European and Mediterranean routes. On the other hand, criticisms were not absent, relating to costs, environmental impacts, and alternative infrastructure priorities.

In the following days, the issue also reached Parliament, with the announcement of parliamentary questions and requests for clarification from some political groups. The debate concerns not only the economic resources employed but also the management of the timeline, guarantees of transparency, and the project’s real impact on the affected territories.

A Crucial Step for the Future of the Strait

Despite the controversy, the signing of the contract on August 5, 2025, remains a crucial step: it marks the point of no return towards the start of construction sites and the actual realization of the Bridge. With this act, Italy commits to transforming a dream lasting over a century into a concrete reality, one that will radically change the country’s mobility, economy, and image.

The goal set by the concessionaire and the Government is ambitious: to open the construction sites by the end of 2025, begin the preliminary works, and complete the fixed link within the following decade, aiming for 2032-2033.

The contract signed between Stretto di Messina and Eurolink is therefore not just an administrative document, but a symbol of a collective commitment: to build the world’s longest bridge and, at the same time, to unite territories, communities, and prospects for development.