The 1972 Second Autonomy Statute: Resolving the South Tyrol Question in European History

This entry details the Second Autonomy Statute enacted in 1972, which resolved the South Tyrol question by transferring significant responsibilities from the region to the autonomous provinces of Bolzano and Trento. The statute aimed to guarantee the autonomy of South Tyroleans and was the culmination of extensive negotiations between Italy and Austria, officially concluding with the deposit of the ratification instrument at the UN in 1992.

The historical entry "1972: Solution of the South Tyrol Question" focuses on the Second Autonomy Statute, a pivotal agreement that addressed the long-standing issues surrounding the autonomy of South Tyrol. Following numerous negotiations, the Italian government presented a package of measures in 1966, intended to expand upon the First Autonomy Statute of 1948. The implementation involved detailed discussions on an "operations calendar" for 137 measures, with the final point being Austria's declaration of an end to the dispute. This process required the approval of the South Tyrolean People's Party, which narrowly passed in November 1969, paving the way for the new statute agreed upon in November 1971. Officially coming into effect on January 20, 1972, the Second Autonomy Statute significantly shifted numerous responsibilities from the regional level to the two autonomous provinces, Bolzano and Trento. Key areas of transferred jurisdiction included subsidized housing, transportation, public services, tourism, agriculture, water management, and educational infrastructure. The full implementation of this statute extended over two decades, culminating on June 11, 1992, when Austria and Italy deposited the ratification document for dispute settlement at the United Nations (UNO), marking a formal resolution to the South Tyrol problem.