Of bombastic he has kept only the title, the initiatives on the contrary have never left a trace. The Guarantor for the surveillance of prices, pompously known as Mister Prices, is a figure established by law 244 of 2007, during the Prodi II government, who never had luck and mostly took on the features of a tinsel in the debate on price rises and inflation, almost an honorary title without real powers. Now the Minister of Economic Development (Mise) Giancarlo Giorgetti has proposed strengthening it starting from what has always appeared to be the weak point, namely the impossibility of imposing sanctions.
Fines of up to 5 thousand euros
The Mise proposal, which is currently under discussion for the possible inclusion in the new decree law on energy and relief measures for companies affected by the Ukrainian crisis, provides, in addition to strengthening the support structure for the guarantor, the application of an administrative penalty including between 500 and 5 thousand euros for companies that do not provide, within 10 days, the requested clarifications regarding certain price increases.
The current guarantor: Benedetto Mineo
Since last December, the guarantor of prices has been Benedetto Mineo, who at the same time holds the position of secretary general of the Mise. Mineo, former director of the Customs and Monopoly Agency, was appointed general secretary in May. The institutive law provides that the appointment of the guarantor takes place with Dpcm, on the proposal of the Minister of Development, from among the first-tier managers of the same ministry, and that the assignment is carried out without remuneration, maintaining their functions, for the duration of three years. The first Mr Prices was Antonio Lirosi from the establishment until February 2009, followed by Luigi Mastrobuono, Roberto Sambuco, Gianfrancesco Vecchio, Andrea Napoletano, Salvatore Barca.
The skills
The apparent enthusiasm, also on the part of consumer associations, which had accompanied the early days of the novelty gradually faded, in proportion to the abstract nature of the role that was highlighted in the face of the weakness of the 2007 law. that the legislator has assigned to the guarantor seem to be a combination of statistical analysis and consultancy activities: checking the reports of consumer associations; possibility of starting fact-finding investigations; supervise the keeping and processing of the data and information reported to the “price offices” of the chambers of commerce; calling of companies and trade associations to check the price levels corresponding to the correct and normal market trend; strengthening the dialogue between businesses and consumer associations; enhancement and promotion of best practices in contrast to the increase in prices. The dynamics and any price anomalies are reported to the Minister of Economic Development to then formulate reports to the Antitrust or elaborate regulatory proposals. The tools are limited to collaboration with Istat, other ministries, Ismea, Unioncamere and, for the mere carrying out of fact-finding investigations, with the Guardia di Finanza.
Only appeals and moral suasion
It is quite clear that in situations of strong anomalies and possible speculative waves, even much less dramatic than the current one, Mister Prices neither affect nor scare. After all, after the first few years, in which he was heard in parliamentary hearings or called meetings, the guarantor gradually left the scene. In a silence that is at times surreal given what happens periodically on the markets. And even the frequent early TV appearances are a memory.