News

Sicily will be 'orange' until 15th January and then who knows...... There is to be a ministerial decree early next week which will serve to confuse an already mystified population all the more......

Rumours swirl - Sicily will be a red zone for three weeks from Monday. TBC.
You will need a negative test to enter the UK from the weekend done within 72 hours of travel, and will still have to quarantine on arrival for 10 days. A further negative test in the UK will reduce the quarantine period to 5 days.

The 'Deal' - here's what we know so far:
EHIC cards - valid until their expiry and then they will be replaced with a new version which offer basically the same safeguards.
At the moment it looks like you wont need an International Drivers Permit for Europe, at least for next year, but its not clear whether you will need a Green Card.
You will be allowed to stay in Europe for 90 out of every 180 days. More than that and you will need a visa.
Banking services look like they will take years to sort out - so at the moment any UK financial institution without a base in , say, France, will not be allowed to operate there.
Insurance - another service which hasnt been covered by the deal - means that very few UK insurers will now be able to offer insurance in Europe.
No more pet passports, but UK pets will have part two listed status, so will be able to travel if they have their vet certificates within 10 days of travelling.
It will be undoubtedly more difficult to watch UK tv in Europe than before.
More in the Buying In... update which will be sent out very soon. ... See more

The new decree issued yesterday makes travel over Xmas virtually impossible. From 10 December, any traveller to Italy must provide a negative test result obtained within the preceding 48 hours at the gate of the departing airport. From 21 Dec to 6 Jan, anybody arriving in Italy must quarantine for between 5 and 10 days depending on test results. From 21 December to 6 Jan it will not be possible to leave your region unless to return to your residence (no second homes). For 25/26 Dec and 1 Jan, you cannot leave your comune. There remains a curfew in force from 10 pm to 5 am, and from 10 pm to 7 am on 31 Dec/1 Jan. ... See more

In a parliamentary answer yesterday the UK government confirmed that from 2021 British citizens can only stay in Europe for a cumulative 90 days out of a 180 day period. This is because Britain wants to 'take back her borders'. Europeans going to the UK from Jan 1 will be able stay there for 6 months consecutively. The govt confirmed that they would not be asking for a level playing field.

From tomorrow Friday 5th November Sicily becomes an orange zone. This means you cannot enter or depart from Sicily, you cannot move out of your own comune unless for specific reasons, you cannot be out and about from 10pm to 5am. All bars, restaurants, gelateries, pasticcerie remain closed. Shopping centres shut on festivi and pre festivi - (ie Saturday and sunday) Museums, galleries, cinemas and theatres are all closed. Barbers and hairdressers remain open. This will be reviewed weekly.

All change - the new ministerial decree says bars and restaurants shut at 6pm, (but can stay open at weekends) and pools and gyms must close. - So in Sicily, there is lockdown from 2300, things shut at 6pm and shopping on Sunday ceases at 1400. No icecream after 1800, but you can go to the seaside, though preferably in your own comune.

The new Sicily rules are: Curfew from 2300 to 0500. Pools and Gyms to close by 2000. Sunday trading allowed till 1400. Public transport to run at 50% capacity.

There is now a COVID test centre at Palermo airport for arrivals from the UK,France, Belgium, Spain, parts of Greece and the Czech Republic. Tests are free with results in 15 minutes. Follow the signs after baggage reclaim.

The second update for Buying in Sicily 2020 was sent out last week. If you are eligible for the updates but havent received it, please let me know.

If you're thinking about building on a piece of land in Sicily, be aware that a new law (Regione sicilia 28 August 2020) will be enacted within 180 days which all but prohibits new dwellings in the 'green zone' of the Piano Paesaggistico in all of Sicily, unless closely connected with farming or agritourism. Subject to appeals and further clarification.

110% incentives
It seems too good to be true – do some work on your property and the government will give you all the money back plus another 10% for good measure. Well, it is almost too good to be true.
The scheme works like this:
If you do work to insulate or improve your home with regard to energy efficiency, or antiseismic measures you are eligibile to apply for the incentives as long as the the results increase your energy efficiency by 2 classes on your APE.
To qualify, therefore, you must have an APE before you start the work. You must pay with bank transfers, to a company with a DURC, using a professional who takes all responsibility for the job. Obviously you must have all necessary permits.
If you pay lots of tax in Italy and have money in the bank, you can claim the incentives over 5 years on your tax bill. If not, you can either use a building company who do the work free and they use the tax credit, (chances are slim) or cede the debt to a bank which charge you for the privilege (equally slim chances).
In theory it’s a clever idea to make sure houses are completely legal, root out people who pay ‘in nero’ and allow the catasto to increase the rateable value of the improved property, thereby getting more local taxes in the future. In practise it will allow well off people to do work they could easily afford to do without a tax break, and the little old granny living in a freezing, damp box will remain just that.
Both first and second homes are eligibile (a maximum of 2 properties) as well as condominiums. The incentives are valid will December 2021. ... See more