ITALY / The television licence fee will be incorporated into electricity bills

On April 27^th the Italian State Council finally gave the go-ahead to the government decree that the television licence fee (“canone Rai”) be included directly in electricity and gas bills.

A few weeks ago, the country’s highest administrative body had reservations about this, in particular asking for a guarantee that only households possessing a television would be concerned, and not owners of connected devices (computers, tablets, smart phones).

The government confirmed that the tax would continue to apply only to television sets, and the power companies responsible for collecting the fee would be compensated.

The amount of tax levied as of July 1^st was revised downwards, from €130 in 2015 to €100 this year.

Almost all the “canone Rai” will go to financing Rai, the public service broadcaster. The official reason for the change in the way tax is levied is to prevent tax evasion –  apparently 30% of Italian households with a TV are affected, causing an estimated shortfall in revenue of €600 million.

Sources : Il Sole 24 Ore, Telecompaper