Protected market remains for half of the families, it's official: what everyone else has to do

The definitive green light has arrived from the Council of Ministers: the protected electricity market remains but only for 4.5 million families (slightly less for gas).
There is therefore no extension for a transition which in most cases will lead to an increase in bill costs: the only ones who will continue to be served at controlled prices are only the so-called vulnerable households, around 4.5 million families according to the data held by the government.
A decision which, as they explain from Palazzo Chigi, was necessary as it is a commitment that Italy made directly with Europe as part of the third installment of the Pnrr.
Thus ends, with the worst possible solution for those who were hoping for an extension of the deadlines, the long story that will lead to the transition from the protected market to the competitive one.
In this regard, the decree just approved by the Council of Ministers defines the methods for this transition, focusing mostly on the information phase in favor of those families who, if they do not want to enter the gradual protection service, will have to choose a new supplier as soon as possible.
Therefore, now that we are faced with a situation that is now defined, we can explain once and for all which families can remain in the protected regime as well as what all the others must do, and by when.
Who can remain in the protected market With the green light from the Council of Ministers, confirmation has arrived that 4.5 million vulnerable families will be able to continue to use electricity at controlled prices even once liberalization is completed.
In detail, families who: are in economically disadvantaged conditions (for example bonus recipients) can remain in the protected electricity market; are in serious health conditions that require the use of medical-therapeutic equipment powered by electricity (or where there are people in such conditions); are subjects with disabilities pursuant to article 3 of law 104/92; have a user in an emergency housing facility following calamitous events; they have a user on a smaller, non-interconnected island; are over the age of 75.
The audience is slightly lower as regards the protected gas market, as compared to electricity, those who are in serious health conditions (such as to require particular equipment connected to the electricity grid) and residents in a 'smaller non-interconnected island.
It must be said that usually the recognition of the condition of vulnerability is automatic, but where this is not the case there are forms (click here to download them) and What everyone else must do For as many 4.5 million families (in total it was estimated 9 million still in the protected market) there will instead be a forced transition to the free market by January 2024 for gas and by April 2024 for electricity.
In this regard, in order not to leave citizens alone, Palazzo Chigi has introduced measures aimed at "ensuring maximum information and the best conditions in the transition to the free market", strengthening all those instruments aimed at preventing "unjustified increases in prices and possible alterations to the supply conditions".
For their part, families must: within the deadline, activate a new supply of electricity and gas on the free market (here are instructions on how to make the switch); do not make any transition by accepting to move to the gradual protection service, with the automatic assignment of a supplier and a tariff.
In this regard, as regards electricity supply, from 10 January Arera will start the auctions for the assignment of the various zones, so that by April the suppliers operating in the individual areas will already be known.
Suppliers to whom all those customers who do not activate a free market offer by the deadline will pass: for them there is the service with gradual protections until 2027.