After about an hour and a half at Palazzo Chigi the control room with Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the heads of delegation of the majority forces on the so-called “price cuts” to help families (which would rise from 4 million to 5.2 million those protected ) and businesses. What emerges is that many of the measures to curb the rush of fuels and bills have not been discussed in the control room but will be addressed directly in the Council of Ministers because they are “market sensitive”, therefore, for the sake of opportunity, the closure of the stock exchanges is expected. . To explain it, during the control room between the premier and the heads of delegation, would have been the Minister of Economy Daniele Franco. Now, in fact, the Council of Ministers called to launch them and, to follow, the press conference of the Prime Minister with the ministers most involved in the “energy” dossier. Prime Minister Mario Draghi underlined “the need for a common management of the energy market” also with a view to making European countries less dependent on Russia in terms of raw materials.
One of the systems that could be adopted to calm prices is the taxation of the extra profits of energy companies, but this step is not certain to be approved. At this point, an important quota would be missing to cope with the increases. An extension of the payment in installments of bills is expected which would go from 10 to 12 months, the use of a reduction in excise duties (for now the cut has been about 15 cents per liter, a “maneuver” considered insufficient “).
The increases in the bill will be sterilized for families “Which have an ISEE ceiling of 12,000 euros”. This is what we learn at the end of the control room on the ‘price-cut’
I excise tax cuts
The cuts in excise duties on fuels of 8.5 cents provided for in the draft Mef-Mise ministerial decree will lead to a greater reduction in consumer prices, equal to about 10 cents. In fact, VAT at 22% is also calculated on excise duties. Adding it to the cut in excise duties, it comes to around 10.3 cents. In the draft it is written that “for 30 days from the publication of the decree”, the rates of excise duty are reduced for petrol to 643.24 euros per thousand liters (from the current 728.40 per thousand liters); for gas or diesel oil used as fuel at 532.24 euros per thousand liters (from 617.40 with a cut of 8.5 cents); for LPG used as fuel at € 182.61 per thousand kilograms from 267.77 per thousand kilograms. With a cut, therefore of 8.5 cents per liter. The lower revenues deriving from this cut, the draft reads, is provided, with the higher revenue referring to the period 1 October 2021-31 December 2021, “deriving from the periodic payments of VAT, valued at 308.17 million euros”.
Petrol vouchers
One of the measures envisaged in the draft and at the control room table is that of petrol vouchers. “For the year 2022, the amount of the value of petrol vouchers or similar securities sold free of charge by private companies to employees for the purchase of fuel, up to a limit of € 200 per worker, does not contribute to the formation of income” states one of the measures contained in the draft of the price cut decree.
Pay bills in installments
Possibility for companies to pay electricity and gas bills in May and June in installments up to 24 monthly installments. The draft of the dl Ukraine foresees it. In this sense, Sace will be able to issue its guarantees in favor of banks and financial institutions within a maximum limit of commitments of 9 billion euros.
Aid to road hauliers
In order to support the road transport sector, due to the exceptional increase in the prices of energy products, the draft of the anti-price increase bill under examination by the council of ministers provides for a reduction in tolls for an additional 20 million euros for the year. 2022. An exemption from the payment of contributions for the functioning of the Transport Regulatory Authority and the establishment of a fund to support the sector is also foreseen. The draft of the decree then provides that for the Marebonus the expenditure of an additional 19.5 million euros for the year 2022 is authorized and for the Ferrobonus of a further 19 million euros.
The social range of protected families is expanding
The social segment of families protected by the new interventions on which the government works against the high bills is expanding, with an increase in the ISEE which will bring the number of beneficiary families from 4 million to 5.2. According to beraking latest news, it is one of the numbers spread during the control room at Palazzo Chigi between Prime Minister Mario Draghi and the delegation heads of the majority forces.
The sanctions
Sanctions from 500 to 5 thousand euros for companies if they do not reply, within ten days, to the Guarantor for the surveillance of prices who can request “data, news and specific elements on the reasons that led to the price changes”. This is foreseen by a measure for transparency, in the draft of the decree to counter “the economic and humanitarian effects to counter the Ukrainian crisis”, still being defined and which will be on the table of the Council of Ministers this evening. The measure also provides that, for the preliminary activities, analysis, evaluation and data processing, as well as support to the Guarantor for the surveillance of prices, a specific Mission Unit is set up at the Ministry of Economic Development. It is also stated that the holders of the contracts for the supply of gas volumes for the Italian market are required to transmit the contracts to Arera (the Regulatory Authority for Energy, Networks and the Environment) within 15 days from the date of entry into force of the decree. New contracts and changes must always be sent within 15 days. “The information transmitted – it is specified in the draft – is treated in compliance with the confidentiality requirements of commercially sensitive data”.
A unitary policy
Meanwhile, this morning at Villa Madama in Rome, the summit on the energy front took place between Prime Minister Draghi and the President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sanchez, Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Costa and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “Only with concrete, feasible and immediate European responses can we solve the problem of rising energy prices. It is a common problem and we 27 EU states must tackle it together. It is urgent, ”said Sanchez, in a summary, published on social networks, of the statements made to the press after the meeting with Draghi and the other heads of state.
Support for the reception of 75,000 refugees
Support to regions, organizations, associations and the third sector for the overall reception of 75 thousand Ukrainian refugees. This is what is foreseen in the draft of the decree that will be discussed today in the CDM. Specifically, 60 thousand units are for the assistance of refugees who have found independent accommodation. Other contributions concern 100 thousand refugees welcomed through the Regions and 15 thousand relate to “further forms of widespread reception” that will be implemented “through the Municipalities, Third Sector entities, Service Centers for volunteering, entities and associations and civilly recognized religious bodies “.