Pushing for traceable card payments says Gualtieri

(ANSA) - Rome, October 17 - 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.