ITALIAN COMPETITION AUTHORITY RECEIVES AWARD FROM MINISTER FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND INNOVATION IN THE “LET'S WORK TOGETHER” PROJECT

Recognition in the “Fight Against Corruption” category. The initiative aims to strengthen cooperation in fighting cartels by refining inspection techniques.

The Italian Competition Authority has received an award from the Minister for Public Administration and Innovation, Renato Brunetta, within the “Let's Work Together” project, created in collaboration with FORUM PA, specifically in the “Fight Against Corruption” category. The initiative that was recognized is a supranational project for training in  computer-based investigative techniques in the antitrust field, co-financed (to the extent of 83%) by the European Commission's Directorate-General for Justice, Freedom and Security in a Framework Partnership Agreement stipulated between the Italian Antitrust Authority and the Commission within the "Prevention of and Fight against Crime" Programme. The project aims to strengthen cooperation amongst European competition authorities and between them and the bodies that provide assistance when inspections are required (the Guardia di Finanza - Fiscal Police - in Italy) through increased effectiveness of inspections, especially in the area of fighting business cartels. The struggle against anti-competitive practices and the struggle against corruption are highly complementary policies, especially when dealing with investigating collusion on public bids. In Italian antitrust experience, 10% of anti-competitive arrangements have concerned agreements or prearranged practices of companies participating in bids for public contracts, particularly in the health/pharmaceutical and financial services and insurance industries. Companies' collusive conduct has been seen in agreements or prearranged practices intended to divide up the market or jointly fix prices or in more detailed strategies that aim to achieve both these goals.

The project, carried out by the Authority's Statistics and IT Inspections Directorate, aims to train 40 experts in computer-based investigative techniques; the experts will be from 25 different bodies (23 national competition authorities in Europe, the Guardia di Finanza and CNIPA). The courses and seminars will be held in various countries (Germany, Belgium, Holland and Italy) and include about 90 hours of classroom training, split into different training  segments. Participants will also be able to obtain CCE certification (Certified Computer Examiner), a qualification of the ISFCE (International Society of Forensic Computer Examiners), one of the main internationally recognized certifications in the field of "computer forensics". By way of an appropriate evaluation of the training carried out, a training standard in the antitrust field will also be identified that may be adopted at a national level in the participating countries. In this last area, CNIPA will play a leading role for Italy and will undertake to promote the development of technical skills and centres of expertise that will be able to assist the Italian public service in the more effective use of computer-based investigative techniques.

Rome, 15 May 2009