PRESS RELEASE

BIANNUAL MEETING BETWEEN THE ICA AND CONSUMERS ON CITIZEN’S RIGHTS

Activations and invoicing in the energy sector, non-requested supplies and services, e-commerce, unfair clauses in financial services, automobile advertisement and the so-called “experiential gifts”: these were the topics at the core of the usual biannual meeting between the ICA and Consumers’ Associations held at the ICA’s premises in Rome. In the presence of president Giovanni Pitruzzella and the two commissioners of the board, Michele Ainis and Gabriella Muscolo, the meeting helped define the situation in an atmosphere of mutual collaboration.

“In such context – Pitruzzella said opening the meeting – your filed complaints help us verify the progress of our activity as they mirror consumers’ awareness of their rights on the one hand, and on the other the suitability of the protection tools put at disposal by the legislator for the enforcement activity”. After discussing the main issues on the agenda, sector by sector, the ICA’s president assured the consumers’ representatives that the Authority will be carefully committed in protecting their rights.

Following, the Consumer Protection Directorate General, headed by Giovanni Calabrò, illustrated sector by sector the interventions and measures adopted in 2015. For Directorate A - Primary Industry, Energy, Transports and Commerce - Iacopo Berti talked about: the seven proceedings concluded during the year on the non-requested activations of electricity and gas; the four in phase of conclusion on the invoicing of consumptions; the two aggressive commercial practices contested; the three proceedings concluded in December in the water sector; as well as the measures provided as regards e-commerce, car rental of low cost operators, air transport, the LPG and photovoltaic sectors.

For Directorate B – Communications, Finance and Insurance, the Postal and Real Estate sectors - Massimo Ferrero talked about: the fight against online counterfeiting also by adopting precautionary measures; unfair clauses (PayPal and Allianz); non-requested supplies of telecommunication services (Vodafone Exclusive, Tim Prime, Wind Maxi); debt collection, with the highest fines ever imposed in this sector (1 million Euros on Carige and 2 million Euros on Cattolica); another three cases in phase of definition. For Directorate C – referring to the following Industries: Heavy, Chemical, Pharmaceutical, Agricultural and Food, Mechanical and Textile, Tourism and Other Services - Laura Grenga talked about: the ICA’s interventions in the automobile sector (purchase of new and old automobiles); the information that consumers must be provided as regards online sale of pre-packaged food products; the acceptance of commitments as regards the so-called “experiential gifts”; online databanks and the protection of micro-enterprises; and lastly, the most relevant proceedings in phase of conclusion (Volkswagen, extra-virgin olive oil, dating websites) and in phase of monitoring (Secondary ticketing).

Finally, the representatives of the various Associations contributed in the meeting with their interventions, expressing an overall appreciation for the activity carried out by the ICA encouraging more attention towards the compliance phase. According to the consumers’ organizations, besides the “dissuasive” function of sanctions, it is necessary to insist on the reputational effect that these can carry out on the image and reliability of the companies involved.

Rome, 26 May 2016