The poison dossier on Federconsorzi 2, a.k.a. Consorzi d’Italia SpA (CAI), has uncovered a number of conflicts of interest, as noted (1,2). These include the entry of Gabriele Papa Pagliarini-immediately after his appointment as director of AGEA (Agenzia per le Erogazioni in Agricoltura)-into the corporate structure of AgriRevi SpA. The company in charge of auditing the accounts of the new Federconsorzi, which in turn is related to Coldiretti. Senate Question.
Consorzi d’Italia SpA, Coldiretti, AGEA. 7 questions awaiting answers
Fourteen senators submitted yet another question to Minister Teresa Bellanova on Consorzi Agrari d’Italia SpA, Coldiretti and AGEA (3,4). At least seven questions have been submitted to the Senate in the past 12 months. But the government retains the place of the stone guest, in the private banquet of public interests and investments.
The pension fund of ENPAIA executives, middle managers and agricultural employees, the Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, as well as the resources of the Consortia at the time created for mutualistic purposes, appear to be subservient to the designs of former Confagricoltura president Federico Vecchioni and some figures at the top of Coldiretti, ready to receive individual revenues from them. And there is also more.
Coldiretti, Federconsorzi 2 and the director of AGEA. The question to the Senate
The AGEA (Agricultural Disbursement Agency) is the main provider of public grants to the agricultural enterprise system. Coordinates the activities of the RPOs (Regional Paying Agencies) and represents Italy in relations with the European Union.
Gabriele Papa Pagliardini, appointed on 10/28/19 director of AGEA, participated as a shareholder on 12/3/19 in the establishment of AgriRevi SpA, a financial statement audit and certification company. In the company of a Supreme Court adviser, Fabrizio Di Marzio, as well as some Coldiretti managers, officials and consultants. (5)
The president of AgriRevi, combination, is Raffaele Grandolini. CAA Coldiretti (Agricultural Assistance Center) delegate councilor. And the Senate calls for clarity.
AGEA and CAAs (agricultural assistance centers), the maneuver Pope Pagliardini
The secretary to the Senate’s 9th Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Saverio De Bonis, submitted a series of questions to Minister Teresa Bellanova between February and December 2020. To denounce the decision of AGEA-led Papa Pagliardini to oust freelancers-and thus, in fact, the vast majority of CAAs (agricultural assistance centers) not registered with the dominant union-from providing agricultural assistance services.
In fact, AGEA uses CAAs (agricultural assistance centers) to handle applications for public subsidies from agricultural enterprises.
And CAAs, in order to provide this activity, must sign an annual ‘convention’ with AGEA that regulates their relationship. But AGEA’s new ‘convention’ – or rather, imposition – forces CAAs to use only their own employees or those of companies contracted with them (i.e., the ‘service companies’ typical of agricultural unions).
AGEA-CAA Coldiretti, monopoly strategy.
The Papa Pagliardini maneuver described above has effectively excluded small CAAs and thousands of independent workers (agro-technicians, graduate agro-technicians, doctors of agronomy and forestry, land surveyors, etc.) from being able to provide the ‘bureaucratic’ services essential to farmers. In beard:
- to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU 101),
- to applicable European law, which does not preclude the use of freelancers even by paying agencies, (6)
- to the ministerial decree that, on that basis, established the organization and operation of AGEA. (7)
The AGEA-Coldiretti agreement in November 2020 consolidated the monopoly strategy. Ensuring that only Coldiretti’s CAAs-but not those of other agricultural unions, associations and freelancers-will have easier file management. An unjustified competitive advantage about which ten senators, on 25.11.20, asked Minister Teresa Bellanova for an explanation. (8) Unanswered, as usual.
Conflicts of interest?
‘Dr. Gabriele Papa Pagliardini as well as took care to seek the opinion of the’Competition and Market Authority about the choices contained in the agreement [AGEA- Coldiretti], but omitting from the same its simultaneous membership in a company traceable to Coldiretti (a signatory to the agreement), likewise should have asked theNational Anti-Corruption Authority the existence or otherwise of the compatibility of his position in the public administration with that of shareholder of a company related to Coldiretti’
Unanswered questions
The questions posed by the 14 senators are, on closer inspection, of interest to the entire country-system. Agriculture in Italy ranks first in Europe in profitability, and its total revenues are derived, in excess of 12 percent, from public support. (9)
Therefore, the independence, transparency and impartiality of a senior civil servant on whom agricultural disbursements depend is not a peregrine issue. Neither is the (failure?) declaration of the existence of interests, financial and otherwise, capable of interfering with the duties and responsibilities of such a delicate position.
The lack of response from Minister Teresa Bellanova seems as serious as the general disinterest of the supervisory authorities and the judiciary, as well as politics and the press. Until when?
Dario Dongo
Notes
(1) Dario Dongo. Consorzi Agrari d’Italia SpA, Federconsorzi 2? The Poison Dossier. GIFT (Great Italian Food Trade). 1.1.21, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/mercati/consorzi-agrari-d-italia-spa-federconsorzi-2-il-dossier-dei-veleni
(2) Dario Dongo. Consorzi Agrari d’Italia SpA and Bonifiche Ferraresi SpA, question to the Senate. GIFT(Great Italian Food Trade). 3.1.21,
(3) Senate of the Italian Republic. Inspection Bill No. 3-02146. Published on 2.12.20, in session no. 279, http://www.senato.it/japp/bgt/showdoc/showText?tipodoc=Sindisp&leg=18&id=1185347
(4) The question in footnote 3 was submitted by Senators DE BONIS, DE FALCO, MARTELLI, GIARRUSSO, FANTETTI, LONARDO, PACIFICO, RUOTOLO, SACCONE, CARIO, BUCCARELLA, TRENTACOSTE, NUGNES, FATTORI
(5) Among the shareholders of AgriRevi S.p.A., each with ownership of 2,942 shares, are registered:
-Raffaele Grandolini, president of AgriRevi S.p.A., CAA Coldiretti managing director
-Monica Rispoli, president of the board of directors of AgriRevi S.p.A. as well as the
Board of Statutory Auditors Consorzio Produttori Campagna Amica SCpA,
Internal Auditor Consortium System Services Coldiretti https://contactout.com/Monica-Rispoli-30989165
-Gabriele Papa Pagliarini, AGEA director,
-Fabrizio Di Marzio, adviser to the Court of Cassation
-Paolo Campocci, chairman of the board of auditors of Coldiretti Piemonte https://piemonte.coldiretti.it/cariche-istituzionali/
-Davide Festa, Coldiretti Service System Consortium cadre, Pescara
-Enrico Leccisi, accountant in Coldiretti area https://www.sardegnaeliberta.it/oggi-funerali-dellaras-celebrano-la-repubblica-italiana-suoi-interessi-suoi-apparati/
-Vittorio Morgese, Coldiretti Service System Consortium, Bologna https://it.linkedin.com/in/vittorio-morgese-0366893 – Finance & Controlling Consultant – Coldiretti
-Fabio Marella, mayor Italian Beer Consortium (Coldiretti), Coldiretti delegate to Agrifondo pension fund at Enpaia http://www.agrifondo.it/circolari/Assemblea_Delegati_TabWeb_Aggiornato_Aprile_2015.pdf
-Stefania Marongiu, Coldiretti Cagliari https://contactout.com/Stefania-Marongiu-64782024
-Luana Pizzo, controller Consortium Society for the Coordination of the Coldiretti Service System https://contactout.com/luana-pizzo-64933054
-Ettore Maria Rosato, lawyer in Coldiretti, https://it.linkedin.com/in/ettore-maria-rosato-b1828b40 Coldiretti delegate to the Agrifondo pension fund at ENPAIA
-Luca Filaferro, CFO of B.F. (Bonifiche Ferraresi) S.p.A.
(6) TFEU, Article 101. Reg. EU 907/2014 as amended (consolidated text at https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A02014R0907-20180730)
(7) MiPAAF Decree 27.3.08. Reform of authorized agricultural service centers. See Article 7, on (OJ General Series No. 106, 07-05-2008).
(8) Senate of the Republic. Inspection Bill No. 3-02138. Published on 11/25/20, in session no. 277. http://www.senato.it/japp/bgt/showdoc/18/Sindisp/0/1185145/index.html
(9) CREA. Farms in Italy, RICA 2020 report (2014-2017 period). See Figure 2C, revenue origin by year, page 17. https://www.crea.gov.it/documents/68457/0/Le_aziende_Agricole_in+Italy_Report_RICA_2020.pdf/bfe6a0c9-fa4e-3055-80be-8084c5008b11?t=1596542205488
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
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