People found guilty of misusing office facilities may soon be liable to fines and administrative sanctions according to new draft proposals put forward by the Italian ministry of innovation and technology in conjunction with the ministry of justice.

The draft law focuses on the use of office telephones, faxes, photocopiers and the computer for personal purposes during working hours. It does not address the use of mobile phones in the office.

Those who are found guilty of inappropriate use of such office facilities could be fined from 30 to 120, plus other administrative sanctions.

A civil court ruled in April 2003 that it is an offence to make private calls from office telephones.