No step back on web tax. Despite the austerity, SMEs suffered. In a hearing before the House and Senate budget commissions, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti floated some amendments to the budget’s most hotly debated issues, but said taxes designed to curb tax evasion by Big Tech. , which will be extended to Italian companies in the new budget law, which, for their part, are prepared to respond with a tax strike.
Routine in maneuver
The web tax will be replaced in Article 4 of the 2025 budget, in order to find a solution to the failure of US companies born in 2018, such as Google and Meta, to pay taxes in Italy. 750 million limit Clearly presented as a function of Big Tech and thus widening the range of interested companies to all Italian SMEs that host “targeted advertising” on a site, including online newspapers.
It is a 3 percent tax that generates a profit to the state of approx. 400 million euros Only by the digital giants, to which the US has always expressed its opposition, to risk its impact on the commercial level.
On the rule, the United States and Italy signed a bilateral agreement in 2021, pending other countries agreeing on a standard to be adopted for a common worldwide web tax within the OECD. An agreement was never reached, so much soThe last expansion Treaty between Washington and Rome
For this reason, before the Budget Commission, Minister Giorgetti talks about ending the “exclusivity of”.Privilege’ based on the US dispute that led to trade retaliation at the time of introduction.
“We did something I believe in. They will also imitate others. – said the owner of Mef – at least those who have adopted the web tax worldwide. The current formulation of the web tax is exactly what the OECD proposed a few years ago, which was ultimately not implemented by the European Commission. I believe that digital taxation should be at the European level and this is the proposal that Italy is making.
“If we go to conflict with the United States, then we arrive at trade retaliation – explained Giancarlo Giorgetti – a problem that is not closed but only Pillar 1 (“the first pillar” of tax reform of multinationals, ed .): one that provides for the redistribution of a share of profits to all countries in which a group is active and on which it will not be possible to reach a decision by the end of the year because the US And other countries They don’t want to sign up.”.
“Since it is not possible to decide what should be decided at the international and European level – the Minister further warned – everyone should ask themselves if it is right to tax the shoe seller that is here on Nomentana and that instead of For an internet that has no structure cost.And for which “you don’t pay rent, there’s a better tax, let’s say. That’s a reflection that we should do here and I hope will be done internationally.”
He protests to her.
This explanation does not seem to be sufficient for the opposition or the SMEs and causes dissatisfaction even within the majority, with Forza Italia “mistakeTo be corrected in the debate in the chamber on the maneuver.
Giorgetti recognized the independence of Parliament, but again warned of danger. Trade revenge from America.
However, the Confimprenditori association, which represents 370 thousand businesses and VAT numbers, does not want to hear about web taxes for SMEs and is ready to make a call. Tax strike.
According to President Stefano Ruvolo, in fact, Giorgetti’s words “confirm A little attention of this government for small and medium-sized businesses, which are the main drivers of our economy.”
