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The diffusion of ICT in electronic payments and online activities

This paper reports the results of the third survey conducted by the Bank of Italy on the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) in transactions and, more generally, in online activities by firms (service firms and, for the first time, manufacturers and the public administration. In light of efforts at European level to foster the use of ICT in payments and in business management processes, specific sections of the survey are devoted to the dissemination of electronic invoices and to familiarity with the new European payment instruments under the SEPA (Single Euro Payments Area) project. The results show progress in the spread of innovation and help to discern the remaining obstacles and identify possible actions to promote ICT in business processes, payment transactions and trading operations among companies and between them and the public administration.