ArcelorMittal and commissioners of the Ilva steelworks in southern Italy have agreed to extend talks to the end of the month after making progress towards a possible deal to buy the plant, a lawyer for the company said on Friday.
The world's biggest steelmaker had tried to walk away from a 2018 deal after parliament scrapped a guarantee of legal immunity from prosecution over environmental risks during a clean-up of the heavily polluting factory.
But the steelmaker has since returned to discussions.
"Negotiations between the two parties have made a significant step forward and set a new deadline to Feb. 28," ArcelorMittal lawyer