Joint Common Principles for Enhanced Consumer Protection this Winter

In a common effort supported and initiated by the European Commission, CEER, BEUC, Eurelectric, Eurogas, EER, EU DSO Entity, E.DSO, GEODE and CEDEC encourage companies, regulators and consumer organisations to continue implementing concrete consumer support measures, in order to shield consumers from the worst effects of the energy crisis within the European Union at least until March 2023.

For a more complete understanding of the "Bonus sociale" programme in Italy, mentioned in the declaration, please see the description below:

Bonus sociale is a lump sum reduction of bills for customers below a given threshold of a socio-economic index defined as a function of actual income, asset ownership and family conditions, designed to protect vulnerable electricity and gas customers. During the current energy crisis, the bonus sociale has been significantly enhanced. First, the threshold used to identify beneficiaries has been progressively increased, so that a notably higher number of customers have been able to benefit from the financial support. Second, starting from Q3 2021, also the amount of the lump sum has been increased to the extent that, as a result, vulnerable customers receiving the bonus sociale have been to a large extent protected from the price increases.