Sommario: 

1. Premessa. 

2. L’evoluzione dell’ordinamento bancario: dallo Stato-guida al Mercato regolamentato. 

3. Nuovi obiettivi di interesse generale per il settore bancario. 

4. La Banca d’Italia e la tutela del consumatore. Il conto corrente semplice. 

5. Il conto corrente di base nel decreto “Salva Italia”. 

6. La politica europea di Financial inclusion e la Raccomandazione
sull’accesso ad un conto di base. 

7. La Direttiva PAD. 

8. Il d.lgs. n. 37/2017 e la normativa secondaria di attuazione. 

9. I poteri sanzionatori e di vigilanza della Banca d’Italia. 

10. … e quelli in tema di “Educazione finanziaria”. 

11. Il conto di base come obbligo di servizio universale.

12. Alcune osservazioni sul rapporto potere pubblico/libertà imprenditoriale nei servizi di interesse economico generale.

13. Considerazioni finali.

Abstract:

The Legislative Decree No. 201/2001 (so-called “Salva Italia”) and the Legislative Decree No. 37/2017 have implemented the European Directive 2014/92 on the comparability of fees related to payment accounts, payment account switching and access to payment accounts with basic features. The Italian implementing legislation has imposed an obligation on banks and credit institutions to ensure the universal access to a bank account with basic features in pursuit of several policy objectives: financial inclusion, economic growth, limitation of circulation of cash and reduction of public sector expenditure. The basic bank account allows holders to carry out a number of annual transactions defined by a decree of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), subject to prior consultation with the Bank of Italy, with an annual all-inclusive fee decided by the banks in compliance with established criteria. Furthermore, the MEF’s decree n. 70/2018 identified the population’s disadvantaged sections for which the basic bank account is free. The Bank of Italy is empowered with supervision, sanctions and regulatory duties in relation to the financial education of consumers. The essay, which revolves around the public/private dichotomy, traces the evolution of the regulation on the basic bank account and checks if credit activities – or at least their essential core – can be considered services of general economic interest in the light of recent legislation.