Lombardia Governor Attilio Fontana said Tuesday that his administration has presented an appeal to the regional administrative court (TAR) against central government's decision to class it as a high COVID-19 risk 'red zone'.
Red is the highest level in Italy's tiered system of coronavirus-related restrictions.
All restaurants and bars are closed, except for takeaways and home deliveries, in red zones and all non-essential shops are closed too.
Fontana said the COVID-19 parameters for the region around Milan have been misinterpreted and the region should be an orange zone.
In medium-high risk orange zones, shops can do business but restaurants and bars must stay closed.
In moderate risk yellow zones, on the other hand, shops are open and so are bars and restaurants until 6pm.
Lombardy, the Italian region hit hardest by the first wave of COVID-19, Sicily and autonomous province of Bolzano have been red zones since Sunday.
Fontana said the region, one of driving forces of the Italian economy, had been "unjustly penalised in the major way".
Fontana's new welfare chief, former Milan mayor Letizia Moratti, has caused a stir by suggesting that a region GDP' should be a factor when its allocation of COVID-19 vaccines is decided.
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