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: [email protected]
www.tuttoconsumatori.org