Economic Overview
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Doing Business in Italy
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/italy
This economy profile presents the Doing Business indicators for Italy. To allow useful comparison, it also provides data for other selected economies (comparator economies) for each indicator. The data in this report are current as of June
1, 2014 (except for the paying taxes indicators, which cover the period January–December 2013). -
Italy Economic Outlook
http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/italy
Italy’s economic recovery—albeit timid—seems to have gained some traction, as GDP expanded in the first two quarters of 2015. The positive scenario was reflected in the draft budget for 2016—announced on 18 September by Prime Minister Matteo Renzi—which revises up projections for next year’s growth compared to what was announced in April.
Industry Trends & Business Climate
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Italy: Risk Assessment – globalEDGE
http://globaledge.msu.edu/countries/italy/risk
Italy is struggling to escape the recession. Real GDP shrank once again at the beginning of 2014, following on from the first slight improvement in two years in the final quarter 2013. Over the year as a whole, the outcome should nevertheless be slightly positive thanks to the strong performance of the export sector and the increase in productive investment.
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Italy Economy – GDP, Inflation, CPI and Interest Rate
http://www.focus-economics.com/countries/italy
Italy’s economy expanded 0.2% over the previous quarter in seasonally- and working-day adjusted terms in Q3. The reading, which marked the softest rise since Q4 2014, came on the back of a deterioration of the external sector’s contribution.
Establishing a Presence
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Business Types – Types of Companies in Italy
http://www.companyincorporationitaly.com/types-of-companies-in-italy
Investors who want to start a business have several types of companies in Italy from which to choose from.
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Business Types – Italy Guide: Setting up a company
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Italy/Italy-Guide/Business/Setting-up-a-company
There are several ways to structure your business in Italy, and it is important to know which one is right for you and your future clients.
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Business Registration Requirements – Italy Guide: Company registration, What are the legal require
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Italy/Italy-Guide/Business/Company-registration
The following article will help you to be aware of and understand what legal requirements exist when registering a company in Italy, and what you must do before you begin operating as a business. There are many forms and documents that must be submitted before opening your doors, so be careful to pay close attention to the following information.
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Business Registration Requirements – What the Company Register is – Registro Imprese
https://www.registroimprese.it/en/il-registro-imprese-e-altre-banche-dati#page=registro-imprese
The Italian Business Register is a public register which, as already provided for within the Civil Code, has been fully implemented since 1996,
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Starting a Business in Italy – Doing Business
http://www.doingbusiness.org/data/exploreeconomies/italy/starting-a-business
Below is a detailed summary of the bureaucratic and legal hurdles faced by entrepreneurs wishing to incorporate and register a new firm in Italy. It examines the procedures, time and cost involved in launching a commercial or industrial firm with between 10 and 50 employees and start-up capital of 10 times the economy’s per-capita gross national income.
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Starting a business in Italy – EUbusiness
http://www.eubusiness.com/europe/italy/homepage/business
In order to set up a business, it is first necessary to define the structure and the type of activity which you intend to carry out.
Taxes
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Value-Added Tax (VAT) Rates
https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/vat-rates-in-europe
VAT Rates and Minimum Purchases Required to Qualify for Refunds
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Corporate – Italy Corporate Tax Rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/italy/corporate-tax-rate
Current and historical corporate tax rates in Italy
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Corporate – Italy – Taxes on corporate income
http://taxsummaries.pwc.com/uk/taxsummaries/wwts.nsf/ID/Italy-Corporate-Taxes-on-corporate-income
Italian corporate entities are subject to a corporate income tax, known as IRES, and to a regional production tax, known as IRAP.
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Personal – Italy Personal Income Tax Rate
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/italy/personal-income-tax-rate
The Personal Income Tax Rate in Italy stands at 47.90 percent. Personal Income Tax Rate in Italy averaged 46.65 percent from 1995 until 2014, reaching an all time high of 51 percent in 1996 and a record low of 44.10 percent in 2005. Personal Income Tax Rate in Italy is reported by the Italian Revenue Agency.
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Personal – Italian Taxes | Taxes in Italy | Italian Tax Rates
https://internationalliving.com/countries/italy/taxes/
A Guide to Italian Taxes
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VAT – Italy Sales Tax Rate | VAT
http://www.tradingeconomics.com/italy/sales-tax-rate
Value Added Tax (VAT – IVA) a consumption tax applying on a standard rate 22%. Reduced VAT rates apply at 10% for pharmaceuticals, passenger transport, admission to cultural and entertainment events, hotels, restaurants and 4% on foodstuffs, medical and books. The Italian VAT is part of the European Union value added tax system.
Visas
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Visas | Italy – United States Diplomatic Mission
http://italy.usembassy.gov/visa.html
Visa information for tourists, students and business
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Italy Visa and Passport Requirements
http://www.worldtravelguide.net/italy/passport-visa
Italy Visa and Passport Requirements
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Work Permits – How to Obtain a Work Permit in Italy
http://traveltips.usatoday.com/obtain-work-permit-italy-62457.html
Perhaps you are planning an extended stay in Italy or looking to relocate to the country for a dream trip abroad or with a spouse. Whatever brings you to beautiful Italy, determining the best way to find employment starts with the fundamental question: Do I need a work permit for Italy, and if so, how do I obtain one? Working in Italy requires navigating some bureaucracy, but armed with information and a bit of advanced planning, you can secure a work permit and gain valuable experience working for an Italian company.
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Work Permits – Entry into Italy – Ministero degli Affari Esteri
http://www.esteri.it/mae/en/ministero/servizi/sportello_info/domandefrequenti/sezione_visti_entrare_in_italia.html
Visa, visa denial, visa extension, visa for purposes of: joining family member, work, business, marriage, foreigners, study bursary, re-entry into Italy.
Infrastructure
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Telecom/IT – Italian Grid Infrastructure: Welcome to IGI
http://www.italiangrid.it/
IGI is the Italian NGI (National Grid Initiative) and is part of the European Grid Infrastructure named EGI. NGIs are “legal organizations, supported by governments, and providing a unique representation at the European and international levels for all the communities related to national grid infrastructures:
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Getting around Italy on local transport
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/italy/transport/getting-around/local-transport
This site describes public and private transportation
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Italy Infrastructure, power, and communications, Information
http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Europe/Italy-INFRASTRUCTURE-POWER-AND-COMMUNICATIONS.html
Italy has an efficient and modern infrastructure, even though it performs poorly compared to other Western European countries of comparable size. The whole peninsula is well connected through an extensive system of railways, expressways, national roads, airports and seaports.
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Telecom/IT – Telecom Italia – Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecom_Italia
Telecom Italia is an Italian telecommunications company which provides telephony services, mobile services, and DSL data services. It was founded in 1994 by the merger of several state-owned telecommunications companies
Employer Obligations
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Italy – KPMG
https://www.kpmg.com/Global/en/IssuesAndInsights/ArticlesPublications/Documents/thinking-beyond-borders-2011/ies-tbb-2011-italy.pdf
Scope of employment regulations including minimum wage, worktime restrictions, employee representation
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Labor Rules and Regulations – National Labour Law Profile: Italy
http://www.ilo.org/ifpdial/information-resources/national-labour-law-profiles/WCMS_158903/lang--en/index.htm
See “Labor rights in the Constitution” on this site
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Social Insurance – Italy Guide: Unemployment Benefit
https://www.justlanded.com/english/Italy/Italy-Guide/Jobs/Unemployment-Benefit
To qualify for ordinary benefit (indennità ordinaria), you must have worked for at least a year and contributed for at least the previous two years. Benefit is available for a maximum of 180 days (six months) and is paid from the eighth day after termination of work, provided that an application is made within the first seven days.
Culture/Living
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Italy – OECD Better Life Index
http://www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org/countries/italy/
Italy performs well in few measures of well-being in the Better Life Index. Italy ranks above the average in work-life balance and health status, but below average in civic engagement, housing, subjective well-being, environmental quality, jobs and earnings, and education and skills.
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Business Etiquette – Doing Business in Italy | etiquette
http://www.kwintessential.co.uk/etiquette/doing-business-italy.html
Good manners and courtesy are prized qualities in Italy. When doing business in Italy ensure your conduct is always polished. There are etiquettes and protocols for many social and business situations, however, it is important to remember that Italians rate considerateness above behavioural formulas.
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Cost of Living – Cost of Living in Italy
http://www.numbeo.com/cost-of-living/country_result.jsp?country=Italy
Cost of living information includes price indices for rent, food, utilities, transportation, restaurants, clothing and more
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Education – Italian education system, italian schools, schooling in italy
http://www.understandingitaly.com/profile-content/education.html
Free state education is available to children of all nationalities who are resident in Italy.
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Business etiquette in Italy – Business Culture
http://businessculture.org/southern-europe/business-culture-in-italy/business-etiquette-in-italy/
When doing business in Italy having cross cultural skills should improve the potential of your business trip. In order to prepare yourself and also to ensure that your business proposal is well tailored to the target audience, leading to a successful meeting with your Italian counterpart, you should demonstrate and understand Italian culture and etiquette.
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Climate of the World: Italy
http://www.weatheronline.co.uk/reports/climate/Italy.htm
With its hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters, Italy experiences a mediterranean climate. Winters in Italy are cool and humid in the north and the mountainous zone. Sometimes cold air from northern Europe can spread south into Italy, bring snow to most mountains, while the coasts are kept warm by the high sea temperatures. Storms like the Mistral can bring snow and gales, sometimes even in southern districts of Italy.
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Climate – The climate in Italy – Info – Italia.it
http://www.italia.it/en/useful-info/the-climate-in-italy.html
The climate varies considerably from the north to the south of Italy.
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Safety – Italy – US Department of State
http://travel.state.gov/content/passports/english/country/italy.html
US Department of State – Go to Safety and Security for updates from the Italian government
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Safety – Italy Warnings and Dangers – Virtual Tourist
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Italy/Warnings_or_Dangers-Italy-TG-C-1.html
Italy Warnings and Dangers
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Education and Schools in Italy
http://www.expatarrivals.com/italy/education-and-schools-in-italy
Expats will be happy to learn that state schools are free, even for foreigners living in Italy who aren’t formal residents. This applies to primary schools, secondary schools and even universities; although enrolment taxes do become applicable after students reach the age of 16.
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Holidays and observances in Italy
http://www.timeanddate.com/holidays/italy/
Schedule of national holidays and observances
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Holidays – Italy Public Holidays 2016
http://publicholidays.it/
Public holidays in Italy are determined primarily by two Acts of parliament as well as by collective and individual employment agreements.
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Demographics – Italy Demographics Profile
http://www.indexmundi.com/italy/demographics_profile.html
Demographic information includes population, quality of life, health, sports, technology, energy and the environment
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Demographics – Italy Population 2015 – World Population Review
http://worldpopulationreview.com/countries/italy-population/
Italy’s population density is very uneven and the Po Valley is the most densely populated with almost half of the country’s population. Other densely packed areas include the metropolitan areas of Naples and Rome. The Basilicata plateaus, the Alps and Apennines highlands and the island of Sardinia, meanwhile, have a very sparse population.
Trade
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Italian Customs
https://italy.visahq.com/customs/
Import and export regulations from Italian customs
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WTO | Italy – Member information
https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/countries_e/italy_e.htm
information on Italy’s participation in the WTO. Italy has been a WTO member since 1 January 1995 and a member of GATT since 30 May 1950. It is a member State of the European Union (more info). All EU member States are WTO members, as is the EU (until 30 November 2009 known officially in the WTO as the European Communities for legal reasons) in its own right.
Housing and Rentals
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Renting a House or Apartment | AngloINFO Italy
http://italy.angloinfo.com/housing/renting-accommodation/
The facts you need to know about renting a house or apartment in Italy: finding accommodation, the contract, the deposit, the lease and the obligations of the landlord and tenant…
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Italia Lodging
http://www.italialodging.com/
A guide to a full range of hotel, apartment and other lodging in the major cities in Italy
Travel
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Italy Travel Guide | Fodor’s Travel
http://www.fodors.com/world/europe/italy
Italy is the kind of destination that travelers return to over and over. They come for awe-inspiring art and architecture that influenced Western civilization, and stunning historical ruins—as well as for some of the world’s best food and wine.
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Italian Tourism Official Website
http://www.italia.it/en/home.html
Official Italy Tourism Website homepage.