Sostegni Decree, the government places the trust. Skip the furniture bonus

MILANO – Green light from the Senate to the Sostegni decree. The votes in favor are 207, while 28 against and 5 abstentions. The measure will now have to make the passage to the Chamber, expected to start from Monday 17 May, for the definitive go-ahead. The Draghi government this morning he had placed his confidence in the approval of the decree, the first intervention of the new executive in favor of businesses and families that have suffered a blow from the Covid pandemic. The Minister for Relations with Parliament, Federico D’Incà, in asking on behalf of the government to vote on the maxi-amendment entirely replacing the text, he explained that it incorporates the changes approved during the examination of the Budget and Finance committees of Palazzo Madama.

However, the minister accepted the impracticability and the reformulations of the Senate presidency on some of the approved amendments. The presidency of the Senate has in fact considered “admissible” the maxi-amendment entirely replacing the Sostegni decree, excluding two amendments declared “unacceptable”. The president Elisabetta Casellati specified in the Chamber that the modification approved by the Budget and Finance committees that made citizenship income cannot be attached. Another proposal that provided for the framing of the profiles of social worker, sociologist and socio-health operator in the social and health role within the employees of the entities and companies of the National Health Service was also unthinkable.

But what the M5s points out is fueling the doubts. Ettore Licheri, M5s group leader in the Senate, speaking to journalists pointed out that with the evaluations of the State Accounting Office “the transferability of the tax credit for the purchase of capital goods relating to the 4.0 Transition Plan. The so-called superbonus for companies “. For the pentastellato” is an incomprehensible and unmotivated decision. Interlocutions will begin with the Accounting Office “. Initially, Licheri spoke of” a process of serious reflection on what will be the vote of the M5s for confidence tonight in the Senate. “Speaking in the Chamber, Licheri then explained that the M5s will vote for confidence but he further detailed: “We cannot accept what has been done in the commission” and the M5s “does not withdraw his hand”, therefore “from tomorrow the super bonus of the companies will be presented again for the Sostegni bis decree”.

The State Accounting he asked for the removal, considering that the law has “potentially significant effects on public finance”. “The financial effects – it is explained – could be particularly significant for those credits which, like industry 4.0, provide for use in annual installments, because the impact on the deficit would be fully anticipated to the first year of use, regardless of the actual use in compensation. “. Also in light of this, explains the Accounting Office, “it is not currently possible to agree to proposals for extending the transferability to other types of credits”.

Same fate for the other credit transfer option: the State Accounting Office requested the removal of the amendment that allowed to opt for the transfer of the tax credit, including to credit institutions, or to obtain a discount on the invoice, regarding the deductions for purchases of furniture and appliances for properties under renovation.

The Accounting Office also expressed “strong doubts regarding the extension such as the one contained in the proposal in question which in fact” is “indefinitely not being able to foresee the end of the emergency situation at the current state”: it is one of the observations, albeit not an obstacle, to the amendment approved in committee in the Senate on ambulance. The Accounting Office also refers to “the principles of transparency and competition” which provide for tenders at the end of the expiry of the concessions to respect “the optimal use of public assets” and EU law.

Finally, as regards the next steps of the decree, the Conference of the group leaders has decided that it will be discussed in the Chamber of the Chamber starting from Monday 17, with the agreement to close by Wednesday 19 and confidence from the government.