Tax credits more than halved for businesses. This would be the latest news contained in the bill decree approved on Tuesday by the government and expected today in the Official Gazette. As anticipated by Il Sole 24 Ore (see the March 28 edition), the rates underlying the contributions insured to companies for the purchase of electricity and gas would be 20% (and no longer 45% as in the first quarter) for energy-intensive, gas-intensive and non-gas-intensive companies, while the bar would drop from 35% to 10% for non-energy-intensive companies, those equipped with available power meters equal to or greater than 4.5 kilowatts. Different percentages, therefore, compared to the numbers circulated, immediately after the CDM, by the Ministry of the Economy according to which companies “will be able to continue to benefit until June from the 40% and 45% tax credits, if in the first quarter of 2023 recorded an increase in the price of electricity and gas bills of more than 30% compared to the first quarter of 2019”.
The drop in the market price
The refinement work of the technicians, continued even after the meeting of ministers, therefore led to a decisive reduction of the rates in the light of the decreasing trend of gas prices which, after the peaks reached in the summer – when the quotations on the TTF, the he hub of Amsterdam, the reference point for the European gas market, have exceeded 300 euros per megawatt hour -, they are now traveling at around 45 euros per MWh.
Substantial drops, therefore, which led to a partial review of the other measures to reduce bills. Thus, with the decree released on Tuesday, the enhancement of the social bonus was confirmed, also for the second quarter, the discount on the bill for families in conditions of economic and physical hardship with the same scheme used in recent months. Together with the strengthening of the benefit, which has become automatic from 2021, the cut of the VAT on gas to 5% (for civil and industrial uses) and the zeroing of gas charges also remain on track until June. Then, the negative rates for the UG2 component remain confirmed, but only for April, applied to consumption brackets up to 5 thousand cubic meters per year, which on the invoice serves to cover marketing costs and which will be insured for 35 % of the value applied in the previous quarter.
Charges in the bill
In the next electricity bill, however, electricity charges will return, but the restoration, by virtue of the drop in the prices of energy products, will not lead to increases, as Stefano Besseghini, president of the Authority for energy, networks and the environment, which this afternoon will communicate the reference price of electricity for the typical family under protection for the 2nd quarter. «There will certainly be important variations of more than 20% for the next electricity bill – said Besseghini on the sidelines of the Safe master ceremony -. The offices are now completing the accounts, also in the light of yesterday’s decree (Tuesday for the reader, ed). Surely there will be a drop of more than 20% on electricity». As for gas, added Besseghini, «since we are now at the end of the month, it would be reasonable to expect something around 10% because in that case the most important change occurred in the previous two months, so that now it is able to recover much the more difficult it seems to me”.
Finally, still on the subject of bills, yesterday the Mase-Mimit implementing decree was published for the installment payment of business bills envisaged by the Aid quater Decree (alternative to the use of tax credits). The tool can be activated for consumption made between 1 October 2022 and 31 March 2023 and invoiced by 30 September 2023. To obtain the installment payment, within 15 days of issuing the bill, businesses must submit an application to the current supplier and within 30 days of receipt of the same, the supplier, if he accepts the request, will propose an installment plan for a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 36 monthly installments.