energy, competitions, construction sites. Here’s what changes with the Corriere.it extension

Aid for bills and the health system and green light for the new procurement code. They are among the main measures decided by the Council of Ministers on Tuesday 28 March. Here are the main measures in more detail.

Bills: extension of the bonus but the charges return to electricity

On the energy front, the extension also arrives for the second quarter of 2023 of social bonus on bills for families with Isee up to 15 thousand euros (approximately 4.5 million) and confirmation of the 5% VAT and the zeroing of system charges on gas. Charges that will instead return to the electricity bill. From next October, however, scatter a contribution on the same electricity bill, established by Arera, disbursed in a fixed portion and differentiated according to the climatic zones, to compensate for heating costs, if the price of gas should exceed a certain threshold. These are the news for domestic users in the decree law approved by the council of ministers to extend aid against high energy costs. The provision, including support for businesses, allocates a total of 4.9 billion for the next quarter, resources deriving from savings on previous aid.

Competition: extension of concessions to 2024 for street vendors

The cabinet has examined but not yet approved the 2022 competition law, as requested by the Pnrr. The provision provides for greater powers for the Antitrust, the strengthening of the electricity grid, among other things with smart meters, to promote savings on consumption. The provision also intervenes on one of the points of conflict with Brussels: the regulation of itinerant trade. The commission pushes for competition, but the government foresees that, in the Municipalities that have not yet started the tender procedures, the current concessions could be extended until December 31, 2024. Furthermore, in the tenders, to safeguard the interests of the current concessionaires, there will be a ceiling on the number of concessions which can be made out to the same operator within the same market.

Electricity and Gas: for companies tax credit for 30% price increases

The decree against high energy costs also extends support to businesses, but according to more stringent criteria. The measures provide for an extraordinary contribution, in the form of a tax credit, in favor of companies for the purchase of electricity and natural gas, for the second quarter of 2023. Companies will be able to continue to benefit from tax credits until 30 June tax at 20% and 10% if in the first quarter of 2023 they recorded an increase in the price of electricity and gas bills of more than 30% compared to the first quarter of 2019. The entry also included the extension of the terms of the tax truce introduced in the manoeuvre: from 30 June to 30 September the deadline for the first installment of the facilitated definition; from 31 March to 31 October the payment of the regularization of formal errors; from 31 March to 30 September, the payment of the first installment for the regularization of the returns presented in 2021 not followed by the due payments; from 30 June to 30 September for the conciliation alternative to the facilitated settlement.

Public works: digital procedures starting next year for works

Five books, 229 articles and 36 annexes: make up the new procurement code. The legislative decree implementing the delegation to the government was approved yesterday by the council of ministers. Deregulation, speeding up of procedures are the objectives of the reform, requested by the Pnrr among other things. The digitization of contracts is expected from 1 January 2024, with the creation of a database and an interconnected system between all subjects and contracting authorities that manage public works. For works up to the Community threshold of 5.3 million euros, the tender procedures are envisaged as residual with respect to the negotiation ones (invitation to 10 offers for works up to 1 million euros and 20 offers up to 2.3 million of Euro). Fillea-Cgil and Feneal-Uil take to the streets against deregulation on April 1st.