Italy risks EU infringement proceedings on green houses and boilers
Brussels spotlight on Italy in view of upcoming Epbd deadlines
Key points
Italy has not responded satisfactorily to the request to ban incentives for methane-fuelled stand-alone boilers from January 2025. This is the objection that has led to the sending of a letter with which Brussels opens, in fact, the first step of a possible infringement procedure, this time linked to the application of the Energy performance of buildings directive (Epbd), the green houses directive.
L’infrazione
The ban on incentives for boilers is the first obligation linked to the Epbd. Italy, in fact, has moved in a timely manner for tax breaks, which have been banned from January 2025, both for the ecobonus and the renovation bonus, remaining in force only for boilers integrated in hybrid appliances (i.e., connected to heat pumps and different from 'stand alone' ones). A notification was also sent to Brussels on this point.
On the other hand, the subsidies of the Conto termico 2.0, which is still active while waiting to be replaced by the new Conto termico 3.0, which will come into force at the end of the year, have remained in place: this instrument still admits for the PA the incentives linked to condensing boilers. There is also a lack of a framework regulation on subsidies that would give a precise map of the cancellation of all incentives for boilers. It is from these elements that Brussels' complaint against Italy would arise. The Commission considers that it is not clear in this context whether tax deductions are the only existing incentive or whether there are others.
The letter for non-compliance with the Epbd was notified, together with Italy, also to Estonia and Hungary. These countries will now have two months to reply. Should their explanations prove unsatisfactory, the infringement procedure will go ahead. In the meantime, the implementation of the Case Green Directive will also come into focus.
Italy's obligations
By the end of 2025, in fact, Italy will have to send Brussels the draft of its national restructuring plan, in which it will explain how it plans to achieve the objectives set by the EU. The Commission will then have to make its comments on the draft in order to arrive at the final plan by the end of 2026. At the moment, however, the plan has not been sent to Brussels. In addition, the transposition of the directive must be completed by 29 May 2026. A transposition, as yet, not planned within this year's European law.
