The threshold beyond which cash cannot be used it could rise again, passing from the current one thousand to 2.500-3 thousand euros. The newspaper La Repubblica writes today, specifying that the government is evaluating the possibility of including the law in the Stability law (expected in Parliament by mid-October) or in an immediately subsequent provision.
In the last five years the cap on cash it was turned down three times: in May 2010 from 12.500 to 5 thousand euros, in August 2011 from 5 thousand to 2.500 euros and in December 2011 from 2.500 to one thousand euros. The progressive cut aimed to encourage the use of electronic money in anti-evasion function.
At the regulatory level, the prohibition does not only concern cash payments, but also transfers of bearer securities and those of bearer bank or postal deposit books. It is also forbidden to move cash in several tranches which constitute an "artificial split".
In recent months, pressure has increased on the government for an (umpteenth) change to the law. In view of the Jubilee, traders and hoteliers they ask that the bar be raised again, so that foreign tourists can make payments with fewer restrictions.
On the political side, I am supporting the measure the centrists of the majority and Forza Italia, which proposed raising the threshold in a bill presented just a few days ago (the last administration to launch an intervention of this type was precisely the one led by Silvio Berlusconi, who in June 2008 had brought the ceiling back from 5 to 12 euros).
On the other hand, too Prime Minister Matteo Renzi he announced last February that once "electronic invoicing was settled with tax decrees", the government would restore "the limits on cash to a European level: from one thousand to 3 thousand euros".
In fact, in the European Union, the laws of 11 states (including Germany and the Netherlands) do not provide for any limit on the use of cash, while in other cases the ceiling is higher than that established by the Monti government (for example in France and Spain, respectively at 3 and 2.500 euros). However, Italy is one of the EU countries where the use of electronic money is less widespread, while in the ranking of tax evasion we are firmly in first place.
Read also "Cash payments: the 6 cases in which they are prohibited".
