This article analyses the administrative measures and, more specifically, the administrative strategy implemented in the immediacy of the emergency by the Italian government in order to determine whether it was effective in managing the COVID-19 pandemic throughout the country. In analysing the administrative strategy, the article emphasises the role that the current system of constitutional separation of powers plays in emergency management and how this system can impact health risk assessment. An explanation of the risk management system in Italian and European Union (EU) law is provided and the following key legal issues are addressed: (1) the notion and features of emergency risk regulation from a pandemic perspective, distinguishing between risk and emergency; (2) the potential and limits of the precautionary principle in EU law; and (3) the Italian constitutional scenario with respect to the main provisions regulating central government, regional and local powers. Specifically, this article argues that the administrative strategy for effectively implementing emergency risk regulation based on an adequate and correct risk assessment requires “power sharing” across the different levels of government with the participation of all of the institutional actors involved in the decision-making process: Government, Regions and local authorities.

“And the flames of the tripods expired. And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all”.

Edgar Allan Poe, The Mask of the Red Death, Complete Tales and Poems

(New York, Vintage Books 1975) p 273

本文分析了行政措施，更具体地说，分析了意大利政府在紧急情况下实施的行政战略，以确定它是否有效地管理了全国的 COVID-19 大流行。在分析行政策略时，文章强调了现行宪法分权制度在应急管理中的作用，以及该制度如何影响健康风险评估。提供了对意大利和欧盟 (EU) 法律中风险管理系统的解释，并解决了以下关键法律问题： (1) 从大流行的角度，区分风险和紧急情况的紧急风险监管的概念和特征；(2) 欧盟法律中预防原则的潜力和局限性；(3) 关于规范中央政府、地区和地方权力的主要条款的意大利宪法情景。具体而言，本文认为，基于充分和正确的风险评估有效实施应急风险监管的行政战略需要各级政府在决策过程中所有机构参与者的参与下“权力共享” ：政府、地区和地方当局。

“而鼎中的火焰也熄灭了。黑暗与腐烂和红死病对一切拥有无限的统治权”。

埃德加爱伦坡，红死病的面具，完整的故事和诗歌

（纽约，Vintage Books 1975）第 273 页