The government is studying a tax on the extra-profits of energy companies, to calm the expensive bills.
The announcement was made today by the Minister of Economic Development, Giancarlo Giorgetti.
According to the minister, it is a "shared opinion within the government" that it is necessary to tax the profits made by utilities thanks to the increase in gas prices.
Cinquestelle leader Giuseppe Conte today proposes "a contribution of solidarity from the operators".
According to the secretary of the Italian Left, Nicola Fratoianni, it is necessary to ask "those who have made large profits from this increase in the price of gas to share them with the rest of society".
Giorgetti spoke today at a press conference in Montecitorio, together with his party secretary, Matteo Salvini. "I believe that it is a shared opinion within the government that the extra-profits of those who, in relation to this very particular situation, are recording, must in some way contribute to general taxation, to allow intervention in relation to the most disadvantaged ". And he added: "The modalities are being studied by the Ministry of Economy, but I believe that we will go in this direction".
For Salvini, "energy and bills will be the national emergency of 2022, which not everyone has perceived. I asked Draghi by January for an extra effort, especially for businesses, against expensive energy".
The idea of taxing the profits of energy companies also appeals to the Cinquestelle, who have included it in a package of 4 proposals against expensive bills. The leader Giuseppe Conte explained them this way today. First of all, "the zeroing of the 2022 VAT on the increase in bills compared to the average prices of 2021". Then, "a solidarity contribution from the operators who have obtained important profits - without any increase in costs - from the increases in recent months".
The tax on energy companies is also liked by the consumer association Codacons: "We believe it is right in this moment of emergency to introduce a levy to be paid by those who, thanks to the increase in energy prices, are making enormous gains", explains the president Carlo Rienzi .
