In the exercice of its advocacy powers, the Authority highlights that changes, derogations and extensions have created uncertainty and has led some administrations to restrict the methods allowed for payments, including the use of direct debit for the payment of TARI (waste fee).

The Competition Authority made some remarks on the Italian regulation of the payment methods to Public Administrations which - especially with regard to the identification of payment methods conveyed through the PagoPA platform and the timing of implementation of such regulation - has been the subject of changes, derogations and extensions that have created uncertainty in the parties involved.

The Authority noted that, despite the Digital Administration Code providing for a general obligation to exclusively use the PagoPA platform, the related Guidelines specify that other payment methods can also be combined, including direct debit (Sepa Direct Debit or SDD). At the same time, Legislative Decree no. 34/2020 (so-called Relaunch Decree) provides that local authorities can even “reward” citizens who use direct debit for payments, applying a reduction of up to 20% of the rate. In addition, there have been derogations and extensions relating to the effective day of the obligation, which was first extended to 30 June 2020 and then to 28 February 2021.

Such a framework, according to the Authority, has generated uncertainty in Public Administrations, so much so that some, even important from a demographic point of view, have restricted the methods allowed for payments to the PagoPA system alone (excluding, for example, direct debit for the payment of taxes such as TARI (waste fee)).

Rome, 5 November 2020