How many times have you answered the phone and found an operator on the other end who, with persistent tones and deliberately confusing language, is trying to get you to sign a new contract for the supply of electricity or gas?
It is one of the most abhorrent business practices of Italians, who for years have suffered unsolicited supplier changes, unexpected bills and never authorized activations. Although the Objections Registry had attempted to curb the phenomenon, aggressive telemarketing in the energy sector continued to thrive unmolested.
Now something is really changing: the government has stepped in with the bill, introducing measures that could revolutionize the relationship between citizens and energy suppliers forever.
Phone contracts void without prior consent: how the new rule works
The heart of the reform is a principle as simple as it is revolutionary: any contract for the supply of electricity or natural gas concluded by telephone or text, without the prior, express and documented consent of the consumer, is considered legally void.
Not just voidable, unchallenged after weeks of paperwork: null from scratch, as if it never existed. This completely overturns the burden of proof which, until now, has almost always fallen on the citizen who had to prove that he had never authorized the change of supplier.
From now on, the energy company will have to prove the existence of valid consentunder penalty of fines and exclusionary measures. The reform also affects the anonymity that has fueled the most unscrupulous telemarketing: every commercial call must originate from identifiable numbers directly attributable to the sending company, ending the system of subcontracting and fictitious numbers used to avoid reporting. A change that millions of Italian families were waiting for.
Enhanced powers of authorities and simplified procedure for citizens
The new legislation does not limit itself to establishing rules: it also makes them directly applicable, providing the authorities with specific tools for intervention. AGCOM, the Communications Regulatory Authority, can now order the immediate blocking of phone lines used for irregular calls, with network operators required to take the measure without delay.
This is an important turning point because in the past, enforcement procedures have been slow and often ineffective, leaving abusive call centers free to operate for months before facing consequences. At the same time, the reporting process for consumers is simplified: anyone who receives an unauthorized call can contact the Data Protection Officer or AGCOM directly by simply quoting the caller’s number.
A mechanism finally available to all, that does not require legal expertise or lengthy bureaucratic procedures. Consumer associations welcome the provision, underlining how the complexity of energy tariffs makes the telephone channel structurally unsuitable for ensuring correct and complete information to the end user.
