The discussion on imposing price caps on water in areas where competition is absent remains open. Final decisions are expected today during the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Trade. If everything proceeds as planned, the issue will be presented before the next plenary session on Thursday for a vote.

However, disagreements persist regarding the spaces and product packaging that should be exempted from the legislation. During the discussion of the bill, an issue emerged regarding the exemption of airports, after the managing company installed free water coolers at the facilities. This was clarified by the Director of the Consumer Protection Service, Konstantinos Karayiorgis, who stated that there is no intention to exempt airports. Cinemas, however, may be considered for exemption.

Meanwhile, according to information obtained by Brief, there are considerations to include all packaging sizes of selected water products under the price cap on water, without differentiating based on their size. Although the initial proposal suggested that the cap and maximum price could vary depending on the space and would be calculated using different parameters, the latest data indicates that the price cap on water for a product will be uniform across all areas.

It is important to note that the proposed bill does not provide for an immediate implementation of price caps on water on products upon its approval. Instead, the legislation will grant the Minister of Trade the right to issue decrees imposing price caps on water. Essentially, if the bill is passed, the decision to impose a price cap on water, as well as where it will be enforced, will be at the discretion of the Minister, who will issue a relevant decree.