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CONSUMERS PROTECTION In ITALY National Council for Consumers and Users (CNCU)

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CONSUMERS PROTECTION IN ITALY main acts: Sector-specific legislation for UE provisions adoption Consumers Code (Legislative Decree 06.09.2005 n 206, G.U. 08.10. 2005)

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Main subject responsible for consumers protection in Italy: General Directorate for Market, Competition, Consumers, Supervision and Technical Standards (DGMCCVNT) - Ministry of Economic Development National Council of Consumers and Users (CNCU) Independent Authorities Regions Consumers associations

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4 Established by law 30th July 1998 n281 now implemented by the Consumer Code It is the representative body of the most relevant consumers associations at national level It aims to develop and enforce the consumer role in the market. National Council of Consumers and Users (CNCU)

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CNCU - organization The CNCU is renewed every 3 years; Is chaired by the Minister of economic development or his delegate and a secretary structure is assured by a Ministrys division; Is composed by the most relevant consumers associations at national level ( recognized in accordance with art. 137 Consumer Code), and a representative of Regions and autonomous Provices; a representative of environmental associations and a representative of national cooperatives for consumers participate as permanent hosts Other experts are invited when necessary.

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CNCU members - 2010/2012 Chairman: Claudio De Vincenti, Undersecretary of State Associations (18): ACU - Associazione Consumatori Utenti ADICONSUM- Associazione Italiana Difesa Consumatori e Ambiente ADOC - Associazione per la Difesa e lOrientamento dei Consumatori, ADUSBEF Associazione Difesa Utenti Servizi Bancari, Finanziari, Postali, Assicurativi, ALTROCONSUMO ASSOCONSUM ASSOUTENTI - Associazione Nazionale Utenti dei servizi pubblici CENTRO TUTELA CONSUMATORI E UTENTI - Verbraucherzentrale Sudtirol, CITTADINANZATTIVA CODACONS - Coordinamento di associazioni per la tutela dellambiente e dei diritti di utenti e consumatori CODICI - Centro per i diritti del cittadino CONFCONSUMATORI- Confederazione Generale dei Consumatori FEDERCONSUMATORI Federazione Nazionale Consumatori e Utenti, LA CASA DEL CONSUMATORE LEGA CONSUMATORI MOVIMENTO CONSUMATORI MOVIMENTO di DIFESA del CITTADINO UNIONE NAZIONALE CONSUMATORI The representative of Regions and autonomous Provinces

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7 The chief responsabilities of the CNCU Expressing opinions, when requested, on outlines for Government bills, as well as on parliamentary bills and on outlines for regulations regarding the rights and interests of consumers; formulating proposals on the matter of defending consumers, also related to community programmes and policies; promoting studies, research and conferences on consumers issues and rights, quality control and products and services safety; developing informing and educational programmes for consumers; encouraging projects aimed at improving the access of consumers to the legal systems provided for controversies resolution; encouraging all forms of link and coordination between national and regional consumers policies. establishing relations with similar public or private bodies in other countries and within the European Union.

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Advisory tasks: Working Groups THECNICAL INTERNAL COMMITTEES Actually there are 14 committees : Adr and Justice; Trade, Price, Rates, e-commerce; Public Services; Products Safety; Credit and Financial services ; Assurance/Insurance; Food safety ; Health; Transparency and Integrity of Public Administrations; Partnership with Universities; UE policies; Transports ; Corporate Social Responsibility; Class Action These committees meet once a month as average for a total of 100 expert from consumers associations involved

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Advisory tasks: recent Audition Authority for Communication (AGCOM) Authority for Energy and Gas (AEEG) Ministry of economic development on inflation matters Italian Union Oil Authority for prices surveillance UNI National Standardization Body National Institute of Health

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Advisory tasks: CNCU at external organizations CNCU participates with its representatives at the main working tables and committees at institutional level. Such as: 1 representative for consumers at each board of the Banking and Financial Arbitrator (Roma, Milano e Napoli), an ADR organization established and controlled by the Bank of Italy; 3 representatives at Unioncamere, for surveillance and promotion of fair contract form 2 representatives at ECCG, European Consumer Consultative Group;, 21 representatives at territorial Observatories on credits and family financial problems 1 representative at ANEC ; 1 representative at the conciliation chamber of CONSOB 1 representative at the Committee for Statistic Information ISTAT- (CUIS) 2 repr. at Ministry of Economic Development Digital Agenda and e-commerce 1 repr. for each main technical committee of the Italian organization for standardization (UNI) THE UPDATED LIST IS PUBLISHED ON www.tuttoconsumatori.org

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Advisory and Promotional Task: CNCU cooperates with other Institutions in order to upgrade the consumer protection in Italy and to design a harmonized strategy of action at local and national level. In this direction are: the Memorandum of Understandings with other subjects involved in consumers protection such as the Authority for Energy and Gas (AEEG) and the National Standardization Body (UNI); The permanent working table CNCU-MINITRY-REGION; The annual meeting between Consumers Associations and Italian Regions, every year a general state of the Italian consumerism is held write together the agenda for the following year; Periodical working tables about inflation and public services quality

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Promotional Tasks: partnership with Universities The promotion and especially the growth of consumerism passes also for the training of professionals: that is why CNCU invests in life long learning and professional growth of those who work for the protection of consumers or intend to pursue this path. The CNCU promotes and supports courses and masters degree on consumers protection. These learning projects are carried out directly, with Universities partnership, or by financing scholarships.

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Promotional Tasks: partnership with Universities recent learning projects Ph.D. degree in "Consumer and Market" of the International Doctoral School in Law and Economics "Tullio Ascarelli" - University Roma Tre. Master's Degree in "Globalization and consumer protection" - University Roma Tre Master's degree in "Market, consumption and rights" - University of Bologna. Master's degree in "Customer Care and Consumer Protection" - University of Catania. Master's degree in "Business ethics, consumption and social responsibility" - University of Siena. Patronage of the European Master, sponsored and funded by the European Union, in "Customer Affair" - University of Bologna, in collaboration with the University of Barcelona, London, Montpellier and Timisoara. English courses at the British Council. The job offer in consumers affairs has largely absorbed the participants of the Masters, some have continued his studies, winning a PhD, others have been hired by Independent Authorities or private companies.

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Promotional Tasks: partnership with Universities - focus Since 2003, CNCU has organized professional trainings dedicated to its members associations. These are full immersion interdisciplinary courses of a week each, organized in collaboration with the Italian universities who have focused on research on consumers protection. 494 well-experienced trained so far. The aim of this project is to create a national network between research institutions and CNCU. It is funded by Antitrust fines to businesses for unfair behavior. The last course was last year on juridical and economical system of EU

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Communication, information, consumer education and media center MEETINGS, CONFERENCES AND SEMINARS on topics of interest for consumers GUIDE "TUTTOCONSUMATORI", containing information and contacts of the 18 consumers associations plus other institutions responsible for consumers protection at national and international level. WEB SITE : WWW.TUTTOCONSUMATORI.ORG ARCHIVE and THEMATIC LIBRARY SPECIAL MONTHLY PUBLICATION in the specialized magazine Il Salvagente. PRESS AGENCY and NEWSLETTERS

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For any further information: cncu@mise.gov.it www.tuttoconsumatori.org