Almost five billion at stake – 4.9 million to be more precise – for the new aid against the high bills that the Government will take to the Council of Ministers next Tuesday, shortly before the end of the interventions of the previous provision scheduled for 31 March. With a novelty: measures will be introduced with a “differentiated” temporal duration that will take into account the “resources currently available”, explains the Minister of Economy, Giancarlo Giorgetti.
Low-income families in conditions of economic or physical need with ISEE up to 15 thousand euros, equivalent to around 4.5 million households – will be protected with the extension to the next quarter, therefore until June 30, of the social bonus of electricity which is gas. For the rest, on the other hand, we are thinking of a different intervention which, however, will start with the return of the cold, that is, from the 1st of October, when the thermal year begins: basically, we are thinking of a “contribution to offset heating costs” that “will be disbursed to households through the electricity bill”, clarifies the minister.
The bonus with which the offices of Via XX Settembre operate must essentially be triggered when a spending limit is exceeded on the account, yet to be defined, for everyone without an income limit. The same mechanism will be in place for companies: for which the discount on electricity and gas bills will be triggered when a certain sales price limit is exceeded in the market. Among the planned measures are also the extension of the social bonus until June 2023, VAT at the rate of 5% and the cancellation of gas system charges, while the redistribution of system charges on electricity bills is carried out, which however, they will be able to count on other benefits. Confirmed, also for the second quarter of 2023, «the reduction to 5% of the VAT rate on methane gas from 10% or to 22% depending on the type of customer, used for combustion for civil and industrial uses» and will be foreseen « appropriate measures for the supply of thermal energy in the performance of energy service contracts, as well as for the provision of district heating services”.
Instead, system charges for electricity bills must be reset. «The Government is finalizing the definition of structural measures to support companies for the purchase of electricity and natural gas – continues Minister Giorgetti – Pending this reform, for the next quarter, a hypothesis is being analyzed for remodulating the measures already recognized for the first quarter, in the form of tax credits, which take into account energy and gas price levels”.
“Important resources are on the way for families, citizens and companies – commented UDC Senator Antonio De Poli, who yesterday at Palazzo Madama, during the question period, presented an oral question to Minister Giorgetti, asking for protection for families and companies against increases of energy prices – For this government and for this majority, interventions to mitigate the effects of high bills continue to be a priority.
According to a study by Cgia do Mestre, added De Poli, 2/3 of increases in electricity and gas bills affect companies, while the remaining third weighs on families’ pockets. Critical issues related to price increases, albeit in a less serious context, continue to persist, affecting mainly families with lower incomes and companies. “We know that it is not possible to let our guard down. That is why we have requested and obtained from the Government support measures aimed at protecting less favored families and companies and more exposed to the difficulties associated with inflation and the increase in electricity and gas bills», concluded De Poli.
Source: IL Tempo
Emma Fitzgerald is an accomplished political journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in political science and international relations, she has a deep understanding of the political landscape and the forces that shape it.
