Bills, extension to 2038 for coal-fired power plants. Stop telemarketing for unsolicited calls

Coal-fired power stations will be allowed to remain in operation until 2038. This is provided for in an amendment approved by the House Committee on Productive Activities to the bills decree (DL 21/2026). The postponement serves to shift the deadline for closure, which had been set by the Pniec to 2025. On its own, however, it is not enough to reopen the plants in Civitavecchia and Brindisi, which have been on standby since the end of the year: a new authorisation to burn coal must be requested and the executive must decide what use to put the plants to, whether to 'cold reserve' (they turn on when needed) or to put them back into operation tout court. The new deadline must also be notified to Brussels.

With the close of work in committee and the mandate given to the rapporteurs Luca Toccalini (Lega) and Riccardo Zucconi (Fratelli d'Italia), the text is preparing to be examined by the Chamber of Montecitorio, where it is scheduled as early as Monday 30 March, before being passed on to the Senate. Among the changes approved are also the telemarketing stakes on unsolicited outbound calls. According to the amendment tabled by the rapporteurs, once 60 days have elapsed since the provision came into force, it will be forbidden to make commercial solicitations by telephone, including by sending messages to consumers, aimed at proposing and concluding electricity and gas supply contracts. The trader may contact the consumer by telephone, including through the sending of messages, if there has been a request made to the person concerned through the latter's computer interfaces or if the contact has been made with regard to his electricity and gas customers who have given specific consent to receive commercial proposals. Contracts concluded in breach of these consumer protections will be deemed null and void. Users can report cases of calls that do not comply with the new limits to the Privacy Guarantor and Agcom, indicating the number they came from.

Then, according to another corrective tabled by Fratelli d'Italia, which received the OK of the committee, operators in the electricity, natural gas and telecommunications sectors who offer or promote contracts to end customers are responsible for the correctness, transparency and appropriateness of the advice and contract proposal activities carried out directly or through sales networks. Before concluding the contract, operators acquire the necessary information on the customer's needs and assess the appropriateness of the contract proposal.

On the Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) front, the amendment approved under the first signature of Alberto Gusmeroli (Lega), chairman of the Productive Activities Committee, aims to include natural persons 'even within their condominium' among the subjects that can take part as partners or members.