The Minister of Economy attended the last Ambrosetti Forum in Cernobbio Giancarlo Giorgetti he said he suffers from stomach ache every time Superbonus is mentioned. A few weeks have passed and his colleague the Minister of the Environment suffered from that suffering Gilberto Pichetto Fratin maybe he found a tranquilizer: one reform of all building incentives.
It is not true, therefore, that the State will no longer give a single euro to those who want to make their homes more sustainable. We will simply try to overcome "the fragmentation of the various deductions currently active" Pichetto told the Chamber's Environment Commission. By June 2024 at the latest, the government promises to put one in place reform of tax breaks. An egalitarian right-wing revolution that looks a lot like an about-face compared to the ferocious attacks on the 110% bonus.
The tax-green home relationship is connected to the specific European directive which has never left the political debate despite the yes, no, ni, expressed by the most diverse political formations. On 12 October Parliament and the Council of Europe discussed the entry into force of the law (2033). But the agreement seems close. Furthermore, the topic will certainly be among the themes of the European elections campaign. Is it a coincidence that the announced reform of Italian building incentives roughly coincides with the elections? A sort of "out of everything" for the millions of homeowners who would fall within the scope of the bonuses but this time signed by Giorgia Meloni.
Beyond the Superbonus for 31 million homes
The Superbonus cannot be the only tool that improves the Italian building heritage. This is a truth known even to those who still defend it. To have acceptable energy standards much more is needed: from energy communities, to the construction (now entirely Made in China) of heat pumps, to the availability of clean hydrogen and biogas on the network, up to regulation of prices and building performance. Even the left could have thought of it when they implemented the bonuses, making people believe that we would become the country with the most modern houses only thanks to the transfer of credit or spread tax recovery. Does the right repair the damage of Five Star populism? And the real green transition awaits.
In September, Enea certified approximately 88 billion euros eligible for deductions with 110%. 75 billion of works have been completed, i.e. 50 billion for residential buildings and 11,3 billion for real estate ones. Pichetto Fratin said that the good intentions of the law are not justified "by the expansionary effects compared to the problems created on public finances or on the increase in prices in the sector". Here's the thing: tax breaks based on income levels? Priority, it is said, will be given to the lowest income earners. It makes us dizzy. And the daily alarms on public finances? The 24 billion maneuver? The public accounts being overrun due to the 110% with Giorgetti's related stomach aches?
Will be. But without a careful pricing policy, with agreements with the production world, there is a risk of a sensational flop. Can we afford it? Yes, if, as happens every other day, we argue with Europe. We cannot allow ourselves this if we want to give Italy the prospect of a more sustainable country and less polluted but without spouting nonsense.
The horizon of future Italian decisions is at least ten years. But the eye must remain fixed on what Brussels will decide on green homes. Ursula von der Leyen he is insisting on the timing of the Green Deal so as not to reach the end of the mandate with sensational unfinished measures. In this context, it is not out of place for the president to think that she also wants to support the real estate market with energy classes no lower than "D". It's a shame about the stomach aches, but Italy needs to fix it "only" 31 million buildings with thousands of small municipalities who, as with the 110% practices, don't even know where to start.
