The final green light for the economic maneuver for 2026 is expected for Tuesday 30 December. Here are some of the major changes that Italians will find next year. The maneuver is valid over 22 billion euros and contains the Irpef cut from 35% to 33% for incomes up to 50 thousand euros, in addition toexclusion of the first house from the ISEE calculation with a deductible of up to 91,500 euros which reaches 200 thousand in the case of homes in one of the 14 metropolitan cities. There is the 5% flat tax for contractual increases also extended to 2024 renewals and the dry coupon on short-term rentals only for the first two housesat 21% and 26%. However, these are not the only changes.
Motorway tolls, how the reimbursement works
The right to reimbursement of the motorway toll arrives in the event of inconvenience due to the presence of construction sites and in the event of traffic blocking due to various causes such as accidents and weather phenomena. The reimbursement measures apply by June 1st 2026 for cases of traffic blockage and for the presence of construction sites on routes that are entirely on routes managed by the same concessionaire, by December 1st of next year for refunds in the case of construction sites present on routes that insist on routes managed by multiple concessionaires.
Per i routes with a length of less than 30 kilometres, the right to reimbursement for i construction sites it is independent of the delay. For i traveled between 30 and 50 km: the refund is activated for a deviation in travel time of at least 10 minutes. For those with a length exceeding 50 kilometres, the reimbursement is activated for a delay of at least 15 minutes.
Season ticket holders and commuters will be entitled to the same protections as occasional users. There will be the possibility of withdrawing from the season ticket if the works reduce the usability of the usual route.
No refunds of less than 10 cents are due and if a general toll reduction is already foreseen for the route. There is no refund for emergency construction sites created following accidentsrescue activities or weather events. Mobile construction sites are also excluded.
For cases of traffic blocking, the reimbursement is calculated on the toll relating to the affected route according to the following thresholds: 50% for a block between 60 and 119 minutes: 75% between 120 and 179 minutes and total for 180 minutes.
All information on traffic conditions and automatic refunds will be manageable thanks to a single APP for all managers. Those who do not use the app will still be able to request a refund through the channels made available by the dealers, such as toll-free numbers or dedicated web portals.
Goodbye passport stamps
Fingerprints and biometric document checks will replace entry and exit stamps in the passport. Nothing changes for those traveling within the European Union, but for those traveling to or from non-European countries. The implementation of the new digital border management tool EES (Entry/Exit System). In Italy it is already active in the airports of Fiumicino and Malpensa and in the ports of Genoa and Civitavecchia. For entries, it concerns all non-EU citizens who enter for a stay of 90 to 180 days. Biometric data, i.e. fingerprints, facial recognition, iris scan, are recorded with those of the passport. All entries into Italy will take place in this way by April 10th with the aim of making checks safer and quicker.
No more paper ID card
From 3 August 2026, the paper identity card can no longer be used to leave Italyeven if it has not yet expired or if you are only traveling within the Schengen area. To travel abroad, an electronic identity card becomes mandatory, as an alternative to a passport, for countries that accept it. The same rule also applies to Cie issued with legislation prior to 2015. The Cie, laminated and in card format, has a microchip that stores for identification including a photo and two fingerprints.
Municipalities are already recalling those with old documents. To make the new document you need to book an appointment at the registry office and you can also do it through the Viminale website. You need a recent passport photo on a white or gray background in a serious pose, the tax code and between 16.79 and 22 euros. For adults, the validity of the Cie is ten years and the expiry coincides with the birthday day preceding the tenth year of issue. The card is valid for three years from issue for children under three years of age, five years up to 18. The Cie is accepted in the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Switzerland and where Italy has signed bilateral agreements.
The parcel tax
Starting from 2026, the Government has introduced a 2 euro tax to be paid for each parcel arriving from non-EU countries with a value of less than 150 euros and which requires customs requirements at the time of import. Altroconsumo explains that it is not a tax on all online purchases and does not concern intra-EU shipments, but a contribution applied only to low-value imports from non-EU countries. The Ministry of Business and Made in Italy speaks of a necessary equalization with respect to the costs incurred by physical retailers. Criticism has come from e-commerce platforms. According to estimates from the General Accounting Office, reported by Sole24Ore, this amounts to approximately 327 million shipments per year.
The price of cigarettes
From January 1st, the price of tobacco and, consequently, of cigarettes will increase. The increase in excise duties will average 15 cents in 2026 and should exceed 40 cents overall over the next three years. E-cigarette liquids will also increase. Currently in Italy a pack of cigarettes costs between 5.30 and 5.50 euros. The objective is both economic and aimed at preserving health by discouraging tobacco consumption.
The value of volunteering
2026 is theInternational Year of Volunteering for Sustainable Development and it is also the one in which the rules change in Italy not for volunteering, but for what volunteering can bring in terms of certifications and scores for competitions. From next year, the skills acquired through volunteering will be recognized for work, training, school and university purposes.
The over 136 thousand entities registered in the Single National Register of the Third Sector are those that can recognize the skills acquired by volunteers. Volunteers can choose the organization with which to carry out activities. The definition of the criteria for the recognition in school and work of the skills acquired in carrying out volunteering activities or courses is in the decree of last July.
For recognition of the skills acquired, it is necessary to carry out a volunteer activity lasting at least 60 hours in twelve months, explains Conflavoro. Participation in charity events or attendance at fundraisers on one or more days is not enough. We need a training project, a form of service agreement, a path defined and outlined through a preliminary interview with the volunteer. The tasks carried out during the volunteering period and the skills acquired at the end will be indicated. The presence of a tutor for the volunteering period is also identified. The documentation must be kept because recognition of what has been done in subsequent periods is also possible. The volunteer data remains available and may be present in the digital identity card.
The car sharing crisis
Car sharing in Italy is not a definitive farewell, but we are faced with a clear downsizing. There will no longer be cars available with the free floating system, free parking in various areas of the city. Enilive, which owns the Enjoy service, has announced that, from 12 January 2026 in Milan, Turin and Florence, and from 21 January in Rome and Bologna, cars can only be picked up and returned to Enjoy Points, areas inside Enilive service stations, airports and train stations. You will no longer be able to access the ZTLs and you will have to pay for the blue striped car parks with these petrol cars. The National Sharing Mobility Observatory says that after the pandemic the market halved. Vandalization was continuous and this led to an increase in maintenance and management costs. Above all, municipalities have opted for electric vehicles to be used in shared form. Bike sharing and scooters have grown.
Related News :