The Italian Competition Authority and the Italian Tax Police (Guardia di Finanza) signed a new Joint Protocol, which provides increased mutual exchange of information and closer cooperation in the context of investigations for alleged breach of antitrust, unfair commercial practices and misleading advertising rules.

The new Joint Protocol also sets out specific means of collaboration concerning the legality rating (i.e. a two-year, renewable certification for companies, issued by the Italian Competition Authority upon voluntary filing and designed to facilitate companies’ access to credit from banks and public financial support) and investigations on the supply of agrifood products, under Article 62 of the Law-Decree No 1 of 24 January 2012.