What you need to know and how to make the application and the voucher for replacement of electrical appliances.
The program “Recycle – Change Device” concerning the replacement of electrical appliances was presented today by the leadership of RIS.
This is the largest program for recycling and replacement of electrical appliances, in which all citizens will have the right to participate, regardless of income criteria, but with an emphasis on weak households.
“Today we announce the largest action of recycling and replacement of electrical appliances in the history of our country. “From tomorrow, the digital platform of the” Recycle-Change Appliance “program opens, so that Greek households can replace up to 3 old electrical appliances, air conditioners, refrigerators or freezers, with new, better energy-efficient and much more efficient ones,” he said. PEN Minister Costas Skrekas delivered a speech.
Up to 710 euros per subsidy per device
According to the minister, the subsidy starts from 30% and reaches up to 50% of the cost of the devices, while the final amount per device ranges from 135 euros to 710 euros, depending on the type of device that is recycled. “With the program we present today, we give the opportunity to hundreds of thousands of households to significantly reduce – up to 40% – electricity consumption. The reduction of the bill of a house can exceed 300 euros on an annual basis, depending on the category and the use of the device that will be replaced “, he added.
The minister claimed that “the submission of applications will be done easily and quickly, without inconvenience to the citizens. You only need to enter TAXISNET codes and residence number. All the necessary supporting documents will be drawn and cross-checked automatically, as the digital platform is connected to the information systems of AADE, EFKA and HEDNO “.
Beneficiaries and scoring
Beneficiaries, according to the minister, are all households regardless of income. The selection of beneficiaries will result through benchmarking with objective criteria and scores. Vulnerable households, families with a member with a disability and large families are also scored.
“An important innovation is that those who are not selected in the initial beneficiaries due to low scoring will remain runners-up, so that in case of increase in the program budget they can proceed to replace the device they want,” he added.
“The total savings of electricity production that our country will achieve, with the implementation of the program, is estimated to reach 209,000 MWh per year. It is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of all the houses in a city with a population of 100,000 inhabitants “, stressed Mr. Skrekas.
What kind of devices and how many can be replaced
Eligible to participate in the program are all consumers who have an old electrical appliance installed in their home and not in a professional space, namely air conditioner, refrigerator or freezer, which they want to replace and recycle with another newer technology and more energy efficient.
Each application may include a total of one (1) to three (3) devices to be awarded.
The subsidy concerns the replacement and recycling:
• old air conditioners – which is old technology and with old coolant (up to 2) with new energy class from A ++ and better (ie A +++) and
• old refrigerators-with old energy classification- (up to 1) with new energy class from E and better (ie D, C, B, A) or old freezers (up to 1) with new energy class from F and better (ie E, D, C, B, A)
The Secretary General of RIS A. Sdoukou underlined that a list of all the suppliers approved by the Program will be published on the website of the Program.
How to apply – The process is based on VAT
The platform (Alazosyskevi.gov.gr) for the start of submission of applications, as the Minister said, will open tomorrow, Tuesday 21 June 2022. It will be opened gradually by VAT.
Tomorrow 21/6 VAT number ending in 1 & 2
22/6 VAT number ending in 1234
23/6 VAT number ending at 123456
24/6 VAT number ending at 12345678
25/6 VAT number ending at 1234567890
No supporting documents are required to apply for funding and can be completed within minutes.
All data are pumped and cross-checked automatically by other bodies (AADE & HEDNO).
Only the taxisnet codes and the electricity supply number of the house that will be declared in the application are required.
Each citizen can submit only one application for each residence.
For example, a family of four with two spouses and two children: the two spouses can each submit up to two separate applications for a separate residence (primary and secondary). Children can not apply.
However, it is recommended that the house (main or secondary) mentioned in the application should be identified on the one hand with the house where the old electrical appliance was placed for recycling and on the other hand with the house where the new subsidized appliance will be placed.
In other words I can not buy air conditioner for my cottage and recycle an old air conditioner that is installed in my main residence.
Applications for funding apply to either privately owned, rented, or rented housing. As long as there is an active electricity supply through which this house is identified.
The subsidy rates per income category – The 4 cases
As for the percentage of the subsidy, it starts from 30% and reaches up to 50% of the cost of the devices, depending on the income category. We have 4 income categories:
• from 5,000 euros and below, the beneficiary is entitled to a 50% subsidy (1st income category)
• over 5,000 euros and up to 10,000 euros, the beneficiary is entitled to a 45% subsidy (2nd income category)
• over 10,000 euros and up to 20,000 euros, the beneficiary is entitled to a 35% subsidy (3rd income category) and
• over 20,000 euros, the beneficiary is entitled to a 30% subsidy (4th income category)
The program subsidizes both the net value of the device and the VAT that corresponds to it depending on the place of residence of the buyer.
The subsidy limits in amounts
There is, however, a subsidy ceiling for each type of device.
That is, the resident of Athens for a 9000btu air conditioner can get a maximum amount of € 340.
For the same device, the resident of the island who has reduced VAT will receive a maximum amount of 320 € because the device is sold cheaper due to the reduced VAT. Respectively, for 24000btu air conditioner, the maximum subsidy amount reaches 710 €.
The final amount of the subsidy depends on the income category of the beneficiary, the characteristics of the device, as well as its purchase price.
The subsidy ceilings range from 135 euros to 710 euros.
The process
When the platform closes after 15 days (5/7), all applications will be evaluated and ranked based on objective criteria, ie financial and social.
It is said that the program is for everyone, even those with high incomes, but there are criteria for priority.
The criteria are:
• The average annual income per family member
• The existence of a disabled member in the family
• The existence of a single parent family
• The number of dependent members
The beneficiaries that will emerge based on the ranking order will not receive in their hands a sum of money but a digital coupon.
Each coupon corresponds to one device, so the maximum number of coupons a beneficiary can receive is three (3).
The following information is on the coupon
• A unique code (Voucher ID).
• The name and TIN of the beneficiary of the coupon, as well as the confirmed mobile phone to which the messages and the disposable codes are sent.
• The device category to which the specific check relates. (air conditioner, refrigerator)
• The aid percentage and its maximum nominal value.
• The benefit number and home address stated in the respective application.
It is estimated that the issuance of coupons will take place in about 3-4 weeks after the closure of the platform. The coupon can be used until 16/9/2022.
By giving the coupon to the merchant, the citizen covers a part of his price, so he will have to pay with his own means, cash, card, installments, etc., only the remaining value, ie the citizen pays only the difference for the acquisition of the devices of his choice.
Prerequisite is the withdrawal of the device
Finally, it is emphasized that the Program requires the replacement / withdrawal of an old device for each new one that is subsidized its purchase. The merchant who sells the new (subsidized) is responsible for receiving the device to be recycled.
If the merchant does not receive the old device and most importantly, does not deliver it to a Recycling Agency, he will not receive the equivalent of the grant.
However, the citizen’s responsibility for the recycling leg is completed by handing over the old appliances to the dealer.
From the moment you hand over your old device to the dealer, you have fulfilled your obligation regarding the recycling part.
The merchant will then have to register it on the digital platform of the Program and at that moment the citizen will receive an sms to confirm the registration.
With the promotion of the old devices for recycling, through a special system of alternative waste management, they are permanently withdrawn in the best way in terms of environmental footprint that follows the principles of the circular economy.
