We have always spoken out strongly about the energy costs that are crippling small and medium-sized enterprises, so we welcome with great satisfaction the news that the government has decided to reduce the system charges (in particular the ASOS component for non-domestic low and medium voltage users, which covers the costs of incentivizing renewable energy) borne by artisans and SMEs, with resources immediately available to reduce electricity and gas bills.
Claudia Scarzanella, president of Confartigianato Imprese Belluno, comments on the so-called Bollette Decree approved last week by the Council of Ministers.
In concrete terms, in 2024 (the latest data available), Belluno SMEs spent €7 million more on energy than the European average, mainly due to tax and parafiscal charges that were more than double (+117.4%) those in the EU. This figure justifies our request for intervention – continues Claudia Scarzanella – in view of the burden on our competitiveness: we have long argued for the need to remove at least part of the general charges from the bill.
Confartigianato is now eagerly awaiting news on the applicability of the measure, whose effectiveness depends on how the resources are used: the benefit may vary depending on how the expected revenue is managed. If the resources are used year by year, costs could be reduced by €3 per MWh; if, on the other hand, the billion euros expected from the IRAP increase over three years were to be used immediately, except for recovery through future charges, costs could be reduced by €8 per MWh: a significant difference, considering that margins for SMEs are increasingly reduced.
Another interesting aspect of the decree is the cost of ETS allowances (an EU emissions tax that is levied on the most polluting forms of energy production but contributes to determining the price of all forms of energy, including renewables): the government wants to separate these costs from the determination of the price of renewable energy, but the rule needs the authorization of the European Union.
Less enthusiasm has been shown for the mechanism of voluntary withdrawal from the ‘Conto Energia’ incentives, with a commitment to upgrade or renew from 2028. This measure – explains Scarzanella – risks generating additional costs for the system estimated at around €3 billion over ten years, wasting resources that could be allocated to other more urgent or less expensive forms of energy transition.
