The new president explains the organization’s strategy: collaboration with other entities and supervision of new sectors
Martina Donini, recently unanimously elected national president of the Union for Consumer Protection, one of the most important associations that has been fighting for years to defend and promote the individual and collective rights of Italian consumers.
First president to follow the legacy of Denis Nesci, founder of Udicon, and first female president. What does that mean?
We are one of the most representative consumer associations in Italy, it is an honor for me to hold this position. It is not the beginning of a new season, but the continuation and consolidation of the work started by Nesci that brought Udicon to almost 100,000 subscribers throughout Italy.
What will be the priorities of your mandate?
The objective for the next 5 years remains the same: to protect and serve consumers, promoting projects and initiatives in the social area. We have many assets, but new this year is Udicon’s first European project in collaboration with CNR. For us it is a great achievement.
Expensive bills, energy costs… A period of deep difficulties for consumers. Has it passed?
The crisis is not completely over, the increase in energy prices continues to be a cause for concern. We proposed and supported several measures to help families face the crisis: suspension of electricity and gas cuts, extended invoice installments, expansion of access thresholds and the amounts of social premiums, reform of the general charges regimes. In addition, we support the creation of the Fund to combat rampant energy poverty, rules to support the development of renewable energy communities, and the super-taxation of extra profits. One of the most significant results was the European agreement on the gas price cap, to which we actively contributed, waging the battle for over a year. A first step, but we must continue to monitor and promote measures to protect consumer interests.
The government has just accepted the PDL, which raises consumer protection to a constitutional condition. What does that mean?
We strongly support this bill. We finally have the opportunity to adapt to the legislation of other European countries that already have consumer protection in their constitution. Consumer rights would be more difficult to ignore or violate and representation on the CNEL would give consumers a voice in decision-making processes. This would lead to greater attention by institutions and companies to consumer concerns and to an improvement in the quality of services and products offered.
Digital transition, cybersecurity and privacy in the Metaverse: what actions do you intend to take to ensure user safety?
Consumers are increasingly concerned about online security and privacy. Clear and transparent policies must be developed regarding the collection, use and sharing of users’ personal data. We can no longer allow a careless approach to the wild growth and development of the web, as has been the case for the last few years. It is important that there is international coordination between governments, business and civil society organizations to develop global norms and standards. These are ever-evolving issues, which means we need to constantly stay up-to-date and collaborate with stakeholders to develop innovative and sustainable solutions.
Another hot topic is sustainability: Are electric cars the future?
The energy transition must be made not only for consumers, but together with them: we must involve and support them in cultural change and new habits. The electric car is an emission reduction solution, along with biofuel. However, several factors must be carefully evaluated, such as the actual impact on the environment and the economy, accessibility for all consumers and the development of charging station infrastructure.
Source: IL Tempo
Roy Brown is a renowned economist and author at The Nation View. He has a deep understanding of the global economy and its intricacies. He writes about a wide range of economic topics, including monetary policy, fiscal policy, international trade, and labor markets.
