Codacons said last week it was launching legal action against the Bank of Italy over its supervision of a widening derivatives scandal at Monte dei Paschi, Italy's third-largest bank.

On Saturday, the Bank of Italy approved a 3.9-billion-euro package of state aid for Monte dei Paschi which will take the form of a bond that will convert into shares in the bank if it does not repay the loan.

(Reporting By James Mackenzie)