A self-regulatory protocol that commits companies to accept and stimulate self-readings, to facilitate their acquisition and to provide the consumer with information on bills based on presumed consumption. In addition, an amendment to the draft law on competition to introduce installment obligations in favor of end customers in the case of maxi-adjustments deriving from delays not attributable to the customer, also with forms of co-responsibility of distributors. These are the main intervention proposals that emerged from the "maxi bills table" that took place at the Mise, which was attended by the Energy Authority, the Antitrust, a delegation from the National Council of Consumers and Users and organizations most representative of electricity and gas operators, consumers and SMEs, under the coordination of the Undersecretary for Economic Development Antonio Gentile.
Furthermore, the Energy Authority was invited to adopt measures to encourage self-reading and provide the consumer with an immediate and exhaustive picture of the bills based on presumed consumption, regulating the procedures and adjusting the penalties for distributors in case of reading or late communication of metering data (including automatic compensation to vendors and end customers in the event of late reading).
The Authority is also called upon to introduce or strengthen tools for making distributors responsible and to further improve the quality of measurement data. A technical table will then be set up between the Ministry of Economic Development and the Energy Authority to adjust the legislative and regulatory framework. One of the novelties will be the reduction from 5 to 2 years of the maximum delay for the adjustments of energy items.
“The interventions that emerged from the table – commented the Minister of Economic Development, Federica Guidi – are part of the extensive review of the retail markets, which on the one hand passes from the full liberalization envisaged by the Competition Law, on the other for the strengthening of the protection of consumers and in general the responsibility of each operator, by virtue of his role and his obligations. The solution identified seems to us balanced, effective and pragmatic".
