Brussels, 11/02/2005 (Agence Europe) - MEP Paolo Cirino Pomicino (EPP-ED, Italy) reacted with a written question to the letter in which the European Internal Market Commissioner, Charlie McCreevy, called on the governor of the Banca d'Italia, Antonio Fazio, to provide explanations on the subject of the difficulties that foreign banks experience on the Italian banking market (see EUROPE of 9 February, p.12). The Italian Christian Democrat invites the Commissioner to verify the “asymmetry existing in the liberalisation of the markets” in EU countries, especially in energy, finance and telecommunications markets. The former Italian minister asks whether the letter sent to Governor Fazio is the fruit of “specific knowledge or excessive pressure (…) given that, in Italy, the foreign presence in the banking system is marked by important positions held, if not a relative majority, in the main credit, banking and insurance establishments”.
The Italian press, which points out that similar criticism was addressed to Italy by the International Monetary Fund, predicts that Governor Fazio will respond to Commissioner McCreevy in a confidential letter and not a public statement.