The safeguard clause has been redefined: the previously mentioned increase in VAT rates will become permanent and will be followed by a further increase in the rates of half a percentage point in 2014 if provisions have not come into force by September 2012 to implement the enabling law or if modifications are not made to the tax exemption and subsidy systems producing € billion of additional revenue in 2013 and € billion in 2014.
With the aim of encouraging competition, the decree law also provides for liberalization measures in some sectors (retail outlets, pharmacies and transport), measures to increase the powers of the Antitrust Authority (AGCM), and others to simplify the procedures and reduce the time taken to build infrastructure. 2.