Economy Minister Roberto
Gualtieri said Thursday that the government wants to push
traceable credit card payments with the 2020 budget bill.
"We want to introduce incentives to push the acquisition of
car readers by shop owners and traders and talk with operators
about reducing commission," he told the Sole 24 ore newspaper.
Gualtieri also said the budget bill would include a sugar
tax.
He said this would be "restricted to drinks and not applied
to snacks".
A tax on plastic, meanwhile, will be limited to packaging.
Gualtieri added: "there are no interventions on petrol and
there won't be a retroactive intervention on tax breaks, which
has been talked about."
The government approved the 2020 budget in a marathon
overnight session Wednesday morning but it is still being
tweaked.
Among its major measures are the avoidance of a VAT hike, a
boost for credit card payments instead of cash, the plastic tax
and other moves towards a green economy.
The budget has led to sparring between the senior government
partner, the anti-establishment 5-Sar Movement (M5S) and its
junior partners the centre-left Democratic Party (PD) and the
centrist Italia Viva (IV) party.
But it is set to be sent to Brussels on schedule.
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