Consip is the Central Purchasing body of Italian Public Administrations. Consip has also the task to manage the whole ICT system of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, which is its sole shareholder. With a permanent staff of 500, in its activity as CPB Consip relies heavily on eProcurement tools; in 2002 Consip was entrusted by the Ministry with the setting-up and management of the eMarketplace for Public Administrations (MEPA), created by Italian Law DPR101/2002 for introducing eProcurement procedures for purchases below EU thresholds.