🇮🇹 Everything you need to sell in Italy
Italy is one of the largest ecommerce markets in Southern Europe, with growing online adoption. Amazon.it dominates the marketplace landscape. Italian consumers value product quality and brand reputation. Italy has complex tax and EPR requirements, with specific rules for electronic invoicing and the textile sector.
🛃 Customs Notes
EU member state. EU Common External Tariff applies. 150 EUR customs duty exemption. EORI required. CONAI packaging consortium membership mandatory. Electronic invoicing via SDI required.
Compliance Topics
📊 VAT / Sales Tax
Italian VAT (IVA) standard rate is 22%, reduced rates 10%, 5%, and 4%. Non-EU sellers with Italian inventory must register for Italian VAT. EU OSS threshold of 10,000 EUR applies. Italy requires electronic invoicing (fatturazione elettronica) for all B2B and B2C transactions via the SDI system.
- •Standard IVA rate: 22%, reduced: 10%, 5%, 4%
- •EU OSS threshold: 10,000 EUR for intra-EU B2C distance sales
- •Non-EU sellers with Italian warehouses must register for IVA
- •Italian fiscal representative required for non-EU businesses
- •Electronic invoicing (fatturazione elettronica) mandatory via SDI system
- •Esterometro: reporting of cross-border transactions
🚢 Customs & Import Duties
Italy applies the EU Common External Tariff. Import duties based on commodity code and origin. 150 EUR duty exemption for online marketplace sales. Import VAT at 22% on customs value plus duties. Italian customs (Agenzia delle Dogane) manages import procedures.
- •EU Common External Tariff applies to non-EU imports
- •150 EUR customs duty exemption for marketplace sales
- •Import VAT: 22% on customs value + duties
- •EORI number required for commercial imports
- •Italian customs (Agenzia delle Dogane) manages declarations
- •EU FTAs provide preferential rates for qualifying goods
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♻️ EPR / Environmental
Italy has EPR schemes for packaging (CONAI), WEEE (COLLECT-EE, ERP Italia), batteries (COBAT), and is expanding to textiles under new EU regulations. The CONAI consortium system is unique to Italy and requires membership for all businesses placing packaged goods on the Italian market.
- •CONAI: mandatory for all businesses placing packaged goods on Italian market
- •CONAI consortium fees vary by packaging material type
- •WEEE compliance via COLLECT-EE, ERP Italia, or other approved schemes
- •COBAT: battery EPR compliance
- •Italian textile EPR requirements expanding under EU regulations
- •Environmental contribution (CAM) for packaging must be clearly shown on invoices
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🛡️ Product Safety & Labeling
Italy follows EU CE marking requirements. Products must comply with relevant EU directives. GPSR applies from December 2024. Italian-language labeling required for consumer products. Made in Italy origin labeling is strictly regulated for certain categories including textiles and food.
- •CE marking required for EU harmonized products
- •GPSR from December 2024: EU Responsible Person required
- •Italian-language labeling and instructions mandatory
- •Made in Italy labeling strictly regulated for textiles, food, leather
- •REACH and CLP regulations apply to chemical products
- •Antitrust Authority (AGCM) enforces consumer protection and product safety
🔒 Data Privacy
Italy's data protection authority is the Garante per la protezione dei dati personali. Italy follows GDPR with local implementation in the Codice in materia di protezione dei dati personali. The Garante has been active in enforcing cookie consent and data processing rules.
- •Garante: Italy's data protection supervisory authority
- •Codice in materia di protezione dei dati personali (Legislative Decree 196/2003, as amended)
- •Cookie consent: strict opt-in, Garante actively enforces
- •Data breach notification within 72 hours to Garante
- •Italian-language privacy policy required
- •Fines up to 20M EUR or 4% of global annual turnover
🛒 Marketplace Rules
Amazon.it is the dominant marketplace in Italy. eBay.it, Zalando, and ManoMano are other significant platforms. Amazon requires EPR and electronic invoicing compliance. Italian consumer law provides 14-day withdrawal rights and specific protections for online purchases.
- •Amazon.it: EPR and electronic invoicing compliance required
- •Amazon FBA Italy: requires Italian VAT number and CONAI registration
- •eBay.it, Zalando, ManoMano: significant alternative platforms
- •Electronic invoicing via SDI required for all marketplace transactions
- •14-day withdrawal right (diritto di recesso) mandatory
- •Italian Consumer Code (Codice del Consumo) applies to all transactions
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Official Sources
This information is for general reference only and does not constitute legal, tax, or compliance advice. Consult a qualified professional and check official sources before making decisions.