'Befana bonus' eyed to boost credit card use

(ANSA) - Rome, September 30 - The government is weighing a bonus for people who use credit cards and help the fight against tax evasion, a 'superbonus' to be paid out in one whack at the start of the year and this dubbed a 'Befana Bonus' after the witch that brings children presents on the Epiphany on January 6, sources said Monday.
    The new bonus would be 19% of up to 2,500 of euros spent, meaning that 475 euros would be repaid to people who have spent, in the previous year, up to 2,500 using credit and debit cards.
    The befana bonus would come on top of a monthly cashback mechanism for all payments registered with credit and debit cards, the sources said.
    The moves will target sectors that are most at risk of tax dodging, which costs the Italian economy billions of euros a year.
    The befana bonus would be inserted into plans to reform the VAT system, the sources said.
    The government is aiming to rejig some VAT brackets.
    Premier Giuseppe Conte said he is pressing for alternative methods to cash payments with the aim of reducing VAT on utility bills and products like bread, milk and fruit.
    photo: Economy Minister Roberto Gualtieri