Category: Italian Life

Italian Regulatory Authority for Electricity Gas and Water (AEEG) is an independent body, which regulates and supervises the electricity and gas makers in Italy. The purpose of its establishment in 1995 was to protect the interests of users and ensure efficient, cost-effective and profitable nationwide services with satisfactory quality levels.

The Authority is responsible for defining and preserving a reliable tariff system and reconciling general social objectives with operators’ economic goals. It also promotes environmental protection and efficiency use of energy. The Authority formulates observations concerning issues in the regulated sectors of electricity and gas and provides an advisory and reporting service to the parliament and government.

Electricity
Standard electricity supply is 220 Volts (V), 50 Hertz (Hz). The national electricity company and distributor in Italy is ENEL. However, consumers are free to choose other electricity providers available in their area.

Estimated bills are normally sent out every 2 months, and after the meters are read and adjusted bills are sent out again. They are payable at the local office, in post offices or through your bank, which I most recommend. Italians prices for electricity are higher than in most other countries and therefore they usually use it in a more more attentively way than we do.

Gas
Gas is widely used for heating, water heating and cooking appliances throughout Italy. It is controlled by the local Comune or by an authorised company. You can obtain gas in three different forms: bottled gas (bombole), outdoors gas tank (bombolone) or mains gas (gas di citta) which is mostly used in big cities. Bottled gas is most commonly butane gas and it can be bought in small quantities. Tanks gas is the most common in rural areas where it is stored in a large tank. Generally, the tank is installed by the gas company and remains their property. Once you sign a supply contract with the gas company you will be charged for a fixed minimum usage per year.

Water
Every commune has its own water company. The water supply is controlled by the commune and pricing can depend on weather conditions. Mains water supply is limited to a fixed, metered amount per household and an annual consumption, which exceeds the limit, must be paid for. To arrange to receive water, you must provide the local water company with your tax code and identification document and contact the Ufficio Acquedotto at the comune offices to initiate service. Italians tend to drink bottled mineral water rather than tap water. However, quality of tap water in Italy is excellent, especially in the north as the water often comes from wells and springs, in which case it is not chlorinated but is safe to drink.

Despite reputations and prejudices, even by many Italians, Italy has an affordable healthcare system and a high standard of medical assistance. Its healthcare system is ranked 2nd according to WHO (World Health Organization), after France, and has the third best medical performance worldwide. Italian doctors are considered well trained and very passionate about their profession.

Healthcare is provided to all citizens and residents in Italy by a mixed public-private system. The public part is The National Health Service (SSN) called The Servizio Sanitario Nazioanale, which is organized under The Ministry of Health and offers inexpensive healthcare to all European citizens, which is mostly financed by direct and indirect taxation. However, there are considerable variations in coverage and service quality between the different regions.

Every person registered with The Italian National Health System is entitled to choose a general practitioner (Family doctor) and a pediatrician. If you are not satisfied with the ones assigned you can decide to replace them and choose by looking up in the list available at the local health authority, ASL (Azienda SanitELocale) of your place of residence. In Italy you also have a free health care service for emergency cases, the doctor on duty (Guardia Medic), which normally operates at night and on holidays.

If you are in need of prescription medicines and other drugs, your family doctor will issue you a prescription that you can present to the pharmacy (Farmacia). Some drugs considered ‘Life-savers’ are free or on payment of a co-pay fee. Other medicines are not included in the services of the SSN and have to be paid entirely.

In order to get a specialist examination or radiological and laboratory tests you have to obtain an authorization, a medical prescription issued by your GP or pediatrician, and make a reservation by showing it as well as your SSN card. Specialist examinations are provided on payment of a co-pay fee, except in case of exemption. This co-pay fee, known as the ‘ticket’, is provided by the public National Health System (SSN). All citizens have to pay a ticket before undergoing specialist examinations, except for those who are entitled to exemption. The co-pay fee must be paid before using medical services. Dentist treatments as well as outpatient treatment are also subsidized by the SSN. Some particular circumstances (disability, chronic diseases, status of inability, low income or age reasons) entitle patients to co-pay fee exemption.

Waiting times are usually up to a few months in the big public facilities. Therefore, some Italians and expatriates, a total of 15%of the population, prefer to take private health insurance. With private insurance, you can freely choose your own doctor and specialist and be treated at private hospitals, thus avoiding waiting long queues to get an appointment for a medical specialist. Private hospitals in Italy have brilliant accommodations. Although the comfort and the quality of service from private hospitals are superior, the medical care is likely to be similar to public hospitals.

Therefore, regardless of where one comes from, it is imperative that you have health insurance from the moment you arrive in Italy. Without it, issuance of a permesso di soggiorno (Permit to stay) is not possible. In order to use public health services you have to register with the National Health System, which is implemented in the ASL (Local Health Authority) closest to your place of residence or domicile. On the SNN card you receive, your name and the name of your GP are indicated. The SSN card expires when your stay permit does so make sure to prepare everything before you travel to Italy.

Italian education is free for every citizen no matter their nationality although you can also find private schools. Italian education is compulsory from 6 to 16 years of age. We can divide it into five stages: kindergarten (Scuola dell’infanzia), primary school (Scuola Primaria or Scuola Elementare), lower secondary school (Scuola Secondaria di primo grado or scuola media), upper secondary school (Scuola Secondaria di secondo grado or scuola superiore) and university (Universita).

Before primary education kids usually go to kindergarten for 3 years. It is not compulsory but every kid is entitled to a place.

At the age of 6 they start their compulsory education, what we call primary school (Scuola Primaria o Scuola Elementare). During these 5 years students learn how to write and read and they study subjects such as Mathematics, Geography, Italian, English and science. Some other studies like music lessons, religion, computer studies or social studies can also be offered. Each class has around 10-25 pupils. Since 2004, there is no exam required to get to lower secondary school.

Between the ages of 11-19, students go to Secondary School, which can be divided in two stages: Scuola Secondaria di primo grado and Scuola Superiore di secondo grado. Lower Secondary School corresponds to the Middle School grades. Students have at least 30 hours per week and they get a report at the end of each term. At the end of their third year they have a written and oral exam that they must pass in order to get what they call “Licenza Media” which corresponds to the British GCSE.

Once they have passed the exam, they can then assist Upper Secondary School. This stage lasts five years (from ages 14-19). We can distinguish three types of upper secondary school: Liceo (specialized in the specific field of humanities, science or art), Istituto tecnico (specialized in the specific field of administration, law, technology, tourism and economy offering a 3-6 month internship) and Istituto professionale (education oriented towards practical subjects: handicrafts, gastronomy, technical assistant, etc.).

Any type of Secondary school that lasts 5 years grants access to the final exam, which corresponds to the British A levels. If you pass the exam you will receive what is called “Diploma di Scuola Superiore” or “Diploma de Maturita”, a diploma required to go to University.

Italy offers a large and international network of public universities. They are managed under the supervision of Italian’s Ministry of Education. Tuscany has some of the best Italian Universities. Pisa University has been recognized as one of the best campus in Europe due to their quality in education. Universities in Italy have become worldwide known and they attract every year millions of foreign students.