Mobile phones safe, tanks a little less. There will not be the new 2 cent tax on text messages which yesterday alarmed half of Italy. Instead of him, "in case of emergency", he could come though a new levy on fuel. The umpteenth increase in excise duties this time will not be able to exceed i five cents per litre. It was established today cabinet, which after meeting for over five hours has preliminary approved the reform of the Civil Protection. An intervention that – as always – needed financial coverage to be invented from scratch.
In these circumstances, when the State needs to raise cash, the increase in fuel prices is a great classic, something the consumer now resigns to more easily. The sting on mobile phones, on the other hand, would have had a decidedly more unexpected flavor. On the other hand, a way to raise funds had to be found.
The reform discussed today in the CDM "will be finalized by the Council of Ministers - reads a note from Palazzo Chigi - after examination by the Joint Conference (including the State-Regions Conference and the State-City and Local Autonomies Conference, i.e. Regions, Provinces, Municipalities and Mountain Communities, ed.), which will be held on 19 April”.
According to the new provision, if a state of emergency is declared, “financial needs are met using the resources of the national civil protection fund. If the unforeseen expense fund is also used, it is immediately and obligatorily reintegrated with ordinary resources and/or with the higher revenues deriving from the increase in excise duty on fuel, established by the Council of Ministers in an amount not exceeding five cents per liter ”.
When they declare a state of emergency, "the Regions have the right to raise the regional tax on petrol under their jurisdiction up to a maximum of five cents per litre".
