The Consumers’ Union of San Marino (Unione Consumatori Sammarinesi, UCS) has welcomed the expansion of eligibility requirements for social tariffs, announced in recent days by the Government and AASS, but is calling for several requests put forward by consumer associations to be further taken into account.
“A step forward has undoubtedly been made, and there has been an improvement that many had been waiting for,” UCS said in a statement issued on 17 August, referring back to the measures presented on 13 August by Secretaries of State Alessandro Bevitori and Rossano Fabbri, together with AASS director Marcello Forcellini.
According to the association, the issue remains particularly pressing for many families struggling with the burden of utility bills. “The hope now is that these measures will prove equal to a situation that, for some, is unfortunately far from rosy,” the statement reads.
UCS points out that, despite the measures adopted last year, several people in need were left out of the benefits. This is why the association, together with other consumer groups, has called for changes to some of the criteria used to determine income eligibility for the discounts.
One of the key issues concerns rental payments. “Those who pay rent or a mortgage cannot be placed on the same footing as those who own their home,” UCS argues. The association would have preferred rent to be fully deductible from taxable income, without the current cap of 4,000 euros, which it considers insufficient given today’s rental costs.
Another request concerns households that include people with severe disabilities. In these cases, UCS is calling for less restrictive criteria, stressing that “it is important that this request does not go unheard.”
The association also acknowledged the openness shown by AASS. “Credit must be given to the AASS Director, who has already taken action by sending a draft protocol to be signed with the consumer associations, which follows through on much of what they had requested,” the statement continues.
According to UCS, the situation has also been worsened by price increases seen in recent months, which have added further pressure on families already struggling. “The additional price rises of these past months have put a severe strain on those already in difficulty, and there is no shortage of families continually having to rely on installment plans,” the association noted.
UCS also gave a positive assessment of the discounts planned for internet connectivity through the public fibre-optic network, aimed at the most vulnerable segments of the population. Still, the association believes this cannot be the end of the road.
“It is clear that further measures need to be introduced to make utility bills cheaper for everyone and to move toward a period of greater energy independence,” the Consumers’ Union of San Marino concluded.
