The government has decided to change the Aid decree bis, inserting more resources for workers and retirees. There are two main innovations and they were illustrated on Wednesday by the Prime Minister, Mario Draghi, and by the Minister of Economy, Daniele Franco, during a meeting at Palazzo Chigi with the trade unions and businesses in the trade and services.
The new cut in the tax wedge
First, the provision should contain another cut in the tax wedge for earning employees up to 35 euros gross per year: the extent of the intervention is not yet known, but – according to rumors – it could be more substantial than the 0,8% reduction already implemented. The intervention is valid for six months, until the end of 2022: the new government will decide on 2023.
The advance of the revaluation of pensions
The second novelty concerns pensioners and is the advance of the inflation-based revaluation of pensions, a measure that would otherwise only take effect in 2023.
The other measures
The two innovations are added to the already known measures of the Aid bis decree:
- the extension until the end of the year of the discount on bills for families
- i tax credits for business;
- il cut excise duties on petrol and diesel at least until the end of October.
Goodbye 200 euro bonus and VAT cut
The new measures seem to exclude the possibility that the Aid decree also contains a new bonus of 200 euros against inflation. The alternative hypothesis circulated in recent days, that of a selective cut of VAT on some foodstuffs. On this second hypothesis, however, the pressing of the exhibitors and of the minister Brunetta continues, as well as of the League. On the other hand, the unions are against it, preferring measures reserved for the lowest income brackets.
The Aid bis decree as a "mini manoeuvre"
The Aid decree, the latest from the outgoing Draghi government, is worth a total of 14,3 billion and almost seems like a "mini maneuver". The goal is to secure the country for the next few months, which will be occupied first by the electoral campaign and then by the first autumn general elections in the history of Italy. All of this in an increasingly difficult international context, with inflation that is biting, the conflict in Ukraine that shows no sign of ending and the signs of a new recession that are on the way are becoming more and more concrete. Minister Franco recalled that, with this provision, the aid to the population allocated since the beginning of the year "goes from 34 to 48 billion" euros.
