Comments On The Italian 'Code For The Digital Administration'

On 16 March 2005, the Official Journal of the Italian Republic (Gazzetta Ufficiale della Repubblica Italiana) published the new 'Codice Dell'Amministrazione Digitale' 'Code for the digital administration'.1 Unusually, it was decided to enable the Code to be amended, and although not very common with Italian legislation, it was duly amended by Decreto Legislativo 4 aprile 2006, n. 159 (Dlgs 159/2006),2 leading to its current version. The new Code has altered the Italian legal framework significantly. The changes are outlined in this article.

An outline of the main provisions of the Code

Those used to dealing with the Italian Public Administration will find this Code refreshing. The provisions set out in article 3(1) are significant:

'1. I cittadini e le imprese hanno diritto a richiedere ed ottenere l'uso delle tecnologie telematiche nelle comunicazioni con le pubbliche amministrazioni e con i gestori di pubblici servizi statali nei limiti di quanto previsto nel presente codice.'

'1. Citizens and companies have the right to request and obtain the adoption of information technologies in their communications with public administrations and with national utility providers within the limits laid down by the present code.'

Not only citizens and companies have the right to 'request', but, and this is the significant point, also to 'obtain' the adoption of information technologies in their communications with public administrations, both locally and nationally. The fans of René Goscinni and Albert Uderzo of Asterix may be aware that one of 'The Twelve Tasks of Asterix' (Les Douze travaux d'Astérix)3was to go through the 'The Place That Sends You Mad' 'Maison de la Folie administrative' mentally unscathed. This is where citizens were sent from one counter to the next just to withdraw papers to be submitted to the first one, to be sent to a third counter, and so on. Asterix finally succeeds by asking for an imaginary permit that nobody is aware of, causing pandemonium, and he is eventually given Permit A-38 to make him leave and stop causing trouble. The Code may end this incredible nightmare in Italy.

Unfortunately, the subsequent subsection to article 3(1) acts to limit the provisions of the Code:

'1bis. Il principio di cui al comma 1 si applica alle amministrazioni regionali e locali nei limiti delle risorse tecnologiche ed organizzative disponibili e nel rispetto della loro autonomia normativa.'

'The principle asserted in paragraph 1 applies to regional and local administrations within the limits of their available technological resources'.

This means that the central administr...

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