(Finance) – In the meeting of the Council of Ministers, on the proposal of the Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti, was approved on decree with measures to support families and businesses against high bills and interventions in favor of the health sector for a total amount of resources allocated in the provision equal to 4.9 billion euros. The measures to support households and businesses against the energy cost were redesigned on a quarterly basis taking into account both the trend in energy prices and the objective of promoting energy saving. The Council of Ministers also approved the legislative decree on the Procurement Code and the bill to ban the production and marketing of synthetic food and feed. On the other hand, the green light has not arrived competition bill whose examination is still ongoing.
5% VAT FOR GAS – For gas – the Ministry of the Economy announces in a note – the reduction of VAT to 5% and the zeroing of system charges is confirmed for the next quarter (1 April – 30 June 2023). The VAT rate reduced to 5% for district heating and for energy produced with methane gas has also been extended. In view of the reduction in wholesale natural gas prices, the contribution introduced for consumers of up to 5,000 cubic meters is confirmed only for the month of April and will be reduced (equal to 35% of the value applied in the previous quarter).
SOCIAL BONUS – In support of families, the social bonus, the discount on electricity and gas bills for families with Isee up to 15 thousand euros, has been extended until 30 June.
CONTRIBUTION TO HEATING EXPENSES – The novelty introduced with the decree concerns the new energy saving incentive for all citizens, with no income limits, who, starting from 1 October to 31 December 2023, will have a contribution to offset heating costs, whose criteria for assignment will be defined by decree of the Minister of the Environment and Energy Security, in consultation with the Minister of Economy and Finance. Furthermore, the Arera will determine the application methods and the amount of the contribution that will be paid, in a fixed amount and differentiated according to the climatic zones.
TAX CREDIT FOR BUSINESSES – On the other hand, businesses will be able to continue to benefit until 30 June from the 40% and 45% tax credits 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 2023. 2019.
AGRICULTURAL COMPANIES FACILITATION – For the 2022 tax year, agricultural entrepreneurs who produce and sell photovoltaic energy are guaranteed, for the component attributable to the energy sold, a more favorable tax regime based on the lower value between the average sale price of electricity, determined by the ARERA and the value of 120 euro/MWh.
HEALTH – In the decree – reports the Mef – the government also intervened in the field of health, allocating around 1.1 billion euros in favor of Regions and autonomous Provinces to limit the impact of the payback of medical devices on companies in the sector.
TAX – In tax matters, with regard to the deadlines introduced with the budget law, the payment terms of the first installment were rescheduled from 31 March to 31 October 2023 to regularize the violations of a formal nature committed up to 31 October 2022. Respectively extended to 30 September 2023 , as at 31 October 2023 and 30 November 2023 the terms for the payment of the first, second and third installments for the special amendment on the returns validly presented for the current tax period as at 31 December 2021 and previous ones.
PROCUREMENT CODE – In the new Procurement Code there is also a provision defined as “Italy first” which sets award criteria for the percentage value of products originating in Italy or in EU countries. This was announced by MIT which speaks of “safeguarding made in Italy”. Among the evaluation criteria of the offer, the percentage value of the products originating from Italy or from EU countries, with respect to the total, is foreseen as a reward. Protection for Italian and European supplies from unfair competition from third countries. The contracting authorities can also indicate the material procurement criteria to meet the highest quality standards. “To make a tender – explains MIT – you will save from six months to a year, thanks above all to the digitization of the procedures (in force since 1 January 2024). A database of tenders will contain information relating to companies, a sort of paper of digital identity, which can always be consulted, without it being necessary for those participating in the tenders to present packets of documentation from time to time, with considerable savings in costs and above all in paper.An appreciable standard also from an environmental point of view. businesses and citizens will have the data available online to ensure transparency”. With the liberalization of sub-threshold contracts, i.e. up to 5.3 million euros, the contracting authorities – continues the press release – will be able to decide to activate negotiated procedures or direct assignments, respecting the principle of rotation. For contracts up to 500 thousand euros, in the same way, the small contracting stations will be able to proceed directly without going through the qualified contracting stations. Remarkable time cutting especially for those small municipalities that have to carry out minor works that are so important for the livability of the places and the well-being of their communities. The integrated tender is revived – continues the note -: the contract may therefore have as its object the executive planning and execution of the works on the basis of an approved technical-economic feasibility project. Furthermore, to guarantee the completion of the works, it will also be possible to proceed with the so-called cascade subcontracting, without limits. No fear for the signature: no serious negligence for officials and managers of public bodies if they have acted on the basis of jurisprudence or the opinions of the authorities. Similar protections for the delicate issue of professional tort. In the reformulation of the code, a rationalization and simplification of the causes of exclusion was carried out, also through a greater typification of the cases. In particular, for some types of crime, the professional offense can be invoked only following a final conviction, a first instance conviction or in the presence of precautionary measures. “An important innovation – continues the note – then concerns the introduction of the figure of constructive dissent to overcome the stoppages of the contracts when a plurality of subjects is involved. During the services conference, the body that expresses its no, not only it will have to motivate, but above all provide an alternative solution.Even the evaluation of the archaeological interest, whose process, often long and articulated, risks holding back the contracts, will have to be carried out at the same time as the project approval procedures, so as not to affect the schedule of the work”.
SYNTHETIC FOODS – “The law against synthetic foods is a significant one: it is based on the precautionary principle because today there are no scientific studies on the effects of synthetic foods. We reaffirm the maximum level of protection of citizens’ health and the safeguarding of our nation’s heritage and of the our agri-food culture which is based on the Mediterranean diet” explained the Minister of Health Orazio Schillaci at the press conference at the end of the CDM. The rule on synthetic food “provides for penalties ranging from a minimum of 10 thousand euros up to a maximum of 60 thousand euros, up to 10% of the annual turnover achieved in the last financial year” – said the Minister of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty, Francesco Lollobrigida –. The rule will pass in the Conference of Regions and then in Parliament, but from today it allows our citizens to have greater protection with respect to a critical issue”.