Transition 5.0, yes of the Senate: what changes on eligible areas and golden power

Green light from the Senate to the government's confidence in the Transition Decree 5.0. There were 88 votes in favour, 58 against, one abstained. The vote of confidence constitutes approval of the decree-law, which now passes to the Chamber of Deputies for conversion into law by 20 January. The text, consisting of three articles, regulates the Transition 5.0 tax credit and the regulatory framework for identifying areas suitable for renewable energy plants. Among the novelties introduced in the Environment Committee and confirmed by the House is a change to the rules on golden power.

Among the innovations introduced in committee were the amendment of the golden power rule, in particular on the financial sector including credit and insurance, in order to meet the EU's concerns; and the introduction of a sort of transitional period for areas suitable for the installation of plants from renewable sources in order to 'safeguard' ongoing practices.

"In the game of roles, the oppositions are called upon to criticise the text under discussion, even harshly, but when inaccuracies are said with respect to the work done in committee, it is necessary, as rapporteur, to intervene". Thus in the Senate chamber the rapporteur of dl Transition 5.0, Fratelli d'Italia senator Etelwardo Sigismondi. "Today the centre-left,' he continues, 'is talking about expensive energy, forgetting that the Meloni government, which has just taken office, found itself facing a very heavy emergency inherited from the previous yellow-red government. An emergency that was tackled immediately with concrete and timely measures to protect families and businesses against rising energy costs. One wonders what they did when they were in government, in light of the situation we found'. "This government,' the FdI parliamentarian continues, 'is not deaf to the demands of the territory, perhaps it was the governments of the past that, blinded by ideological drifts, did not listen to the just requests of our territories. The decree in question is particularly important, it supports companies that invest in production processes that guarantee energy savings, it gives certainty on eligible areas, it invests in renewables and, above all, it provides important simplifications to cut red tape and invest in respect for the environment".

"It is clear that we are in the midst of an administrative and financial chaos that has disappointed businesses and sunk the sector". These were the words of M5S senator Gisella Naturale during the general statement on the Transition 5.0 decree. 'The transition from Transition 4.0 to 5.0,' she continued, 'has been done in a disastrous manner. Before it is too late, we must return to the previous plan as conceived by the Conte government. Minister Urso must be stopped. Immediate intervention is indispensable for the investments that have already begun'. Senator Elena Sironi also spoke: 'We have witnessed a hasty and superficial attitude on the part of the government. The arrogance of a haphazard and negligent executive has resurfaced. Oppositions who asked why they were against the amendments tabled were told 'why not'. This is ridiculous; they did not go into the merits'. Senator Gabriella Di Girolamo also spoke in the general statement, for whom 'the amendment on golden power presented by the government is irrelevant to the decree itself. It is just a way of putting a patch worse than the hole. The problem is not the extension of the use of power but how this is defined and constructed. That is why it is serious that Parliament has chosen to extend power without adjusting it to counterweights and guarantees".