After the general election of 1996 he was Minister of Industry, Commerce and Craftmanship (1996-1999) and Minister of Transports (1999-2001) in the center-left cabinets of Prodi, D'Alema, Amato.
The Prodi II Cabinet assigned the Minister of Economic Development, Pier Luigi Bersani, the task of introducing reforms aimed at achieving increased market liberalization and competition.