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Italy
Business Guide

Compiled by:

Swiss Business Hub Italy

Milan, December 2010

Arrival and departure

Under the present regulations, a Swiss national can enter Italy with a valid identification document: Identity
Card or Passport.

Among the Bilateral Agreements between Switzerland and the European Union there is the Agreement on
FREE MOVEMENT OF PERSONS which regulates the modalities of residing in the European Union, and
therefore in Italy, for Swiss nationals.

According to this Bilateral Agreement, Swiss citizens do not require - for residence permits in Italy for employ-
ment - any permit if their work involves residence on Italian soil for no longer than three months.

Should the work be for a longer period, Swiss citizens must request a short residence permit (up to one year)
or a longer one (up to 5 years). Such a permit may be obtained from the Immigration Office at police headquar-
ters in the province where the person intends to reside for employment:

www.poliziadistato.it

(together with

other useful information, in this web site you will find addresses and phone numbers of the Immigration Offices
of each Italian Province).

For further information, you can contact the Swiss Embassy and the General Consulates in Italy, and visit the
following web sites:

http://www.eda.admin.ch/eda/de/home.html

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

http://www.eda.admin.ch/roma

Swiss Embassy in Rome

http://www.eda.admin.ch/milano

Consulate general in Milan

http://europa.eu/eu-life/work-business/index_en.htm

on working in EU

http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/justice_freedom_security/free_movement_of_persons_asylum_immigra
tion/l33020_en.htm

on the Schengen area

http://www.swissemigration.ch/themen/schweizeu/00043/index.html?lang=en

on Free movement of persons

http://www.europa.admin.ch

on the Bilateral Agreements

Languages used for business

With the exception of the northern bilingual province of Bozen South Tirol (Bolzano Alto Adige), where German
is also official, the official language is Italian. English is however used, with French and German less common.
Nevertheless, you may find Italians speaking French or German in the business community, shops, hotels,
restaurants…

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Public holidays

January 1
January 6
Easter Monday
April 25
May 1
June 2
August 15
November 1
December 8
December 25
December 26

On those days offices and most shops are closed.

Health and inoculations

There are no particular requirements

Time zone

The same as in Switzerland.

Electricity supply

220 v.

Methods of payment

Currency : euro (€)
Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Diners.

Transportation

To reach and travel in Italy there are various possibilities:

BY PLANE
You can presently choose among a wide selection of carriers such as Swiss International Air Lines, Alitalia,
Helvetic Airways, Darwin Airline or Easyjet. For information about flights and bookings, some possible links you
may consult:

www.swiss.ch

;

www.alitalia.it

;

www.darwinairline.com

;

www.easyjet.com

BY TRAIN
From Zurich, Basel or Berne you will reach Milan in about 4 hours.
For a detailed departure timetable, you can contact the Swiss Railways,

www.sbb.ch

.

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With regard to the Italian Railways, the amount of strikes has decreased considerably over the past years.
Nevertheless, it is always better to check in advance the Italian FFS Trenitalia web page

www.ferroviedellostato.it

,

www.trenitalia.com

, where you can find information on timetables and possible

strikes.


BY CAR
The big Italian cities are usually troubled by traffic congestion and lack of parking. If you have meetings in
downtown Rome or Milan, the best solution may be to leave your car at a parking lot and reach your destina-
tion by public transport (less expensive but also less reliable than in Switzerland). Particularly the Underground,
where available, can easily be the fastest means of transportation.

In order to find a particular street, try

http://mappe.alice.it/

or

www.viamichelin.it

or

http://www.tuttocitta.it/

,

where you can find Italian cities’ maps and the Italian road network.

Hotels

In Italy there are of course plenty of hotels, it will be just a matter of budget and requirements. To look for the
right accommodation for your requirements, here are some useful links:

http://alberghi.paginegialle.it/alberghi.htm

http://www.edreams.it/

http://www.initalia.it/

http://www.italy-hotels-reservation.it/

http://www.alberghi-in-italia.it/

Communication

The international code to call Italy is 0039 (+ area code + phone number). Unlike other countries, the Italian
area codes keep the 0. An example: to call the SBH Italy from abroad you will dial 0039 for Italy + 02 for Milan
+ 76 320 31. This rule does not apply to mobile phone numbers, since they do no contain area codes.

The area code in Italy is now part of the phone number, that means, wherever you are in Italy, even in Milan, to
call the SBH you will always dial 02 76 320 31.

If you are searching for a phone number, you can try consulting the directory web sites such as:

www.paginebianche.it

,

www.paginegialle.it

or

www.infoimprese.it

, where you can find the phone numbers of

people, companies, institutions, public offices, etc.

Business hours

Offices:
Usually, Monday through Friday, 8.30 – 12.30 and 13.30 – 18.00

Banks:
Monday through Friday, 8.30 – 13.30 and 14.30 – 16.00
You will find BANCOMAT/ATMs at banks and commercial centres, providing cash 24 hours a day.

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Shops:
Usually, Monday through Saturday, 9.30 – 12.30/13.00 and 15.30 – 19.00
However, many shops are open at lunch-time and, in selected malls and big shopping centres, also
on Sundays.

Addresses and opening hours of embassies and consulates

The address of the Swiss Embassy in Italy is:

Ambasciata di Svizzera
Via Barnaba Oriani 61
00197 Roma
E-mail:

[e-mail]

Tel. [phone]
Fax [phone]

Open Monday to Friday: 09.00-12.00
For the complete list of the Swiss Consulates in Italy you can refer to the Swiss Embassy in Rome web page

http://www.eda.admin.ch/roma

The Address of the Italian Embassy in Switzerland is:

Ambasciata d'Italia
Elfenstrasse 14
3006 Berna
Tel.: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail:

[e-mail]

Open Monday to Thursday: 8.30-17.30; on Friday: 8.30-16.30
For the complete list of the Italian Consulates (Rete consolare) in Switzerland you can refer to the Italian Em-
bassy in Berne web page:

http://www.ambberna.esteri.it/Ambasciata_Berna

.

Tips for initiating business contacts

FIRST CONTACT
Nowadays it is customary to fix an appointment via phone, e-mail or fax. It is recommendable, in particular if
you are dealing with a company of a certain dimension and importance, to write a short “letter of presentation”.
It is important not to exceed in details and to introduce your own company and objectives in a synthetic way.


FIRST MEETING
Pay attention to your look, as Italy is considered the “Home of Fashion”. Choose with a certain care your tie
and shoes, they could be part of your business card.

Do not forget to be on time. Even though Italians have a reputation of being “latecomers”, this is not always
necessarily true. Italian businessmen usually wear Swiss watches and appreciate punctuality, a quality known
as a Swiss trade-mark.

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CONVERSATION
At the beginning of a meeting It is appropriate to express sympathy and consideration towards Italy, without
over-emphasising clichés such as “Spaghetti” and “Pizza”. Even though Italian food is one of the most appre-
ciated worldwide, Italy is also synonymous for “art”, “culture”, “history”, “imagination”, “design”, “fashion”,
amongst others.

If you are not from Canton Ticino or Southern Grisons but speak Italian or know at least a few words, use them
as this will be considered favourably. Italians are known as xenophiles and usually appreciate foreigners trying
to speak their language. Moreover, Switzerland is the only other country in the world where Italian is a national
language - an important bond between the two countries.

After “small talk” do not forget to get to the point of your meeting. Be pragmatic and give proof of your organisa-
tional talents. Italians hold in high consideration Swiss competence, seriousness and reliability and they will
expect nothing less from you. But do not make the mistake of underestimating a potential Italian partner.

STEREOTYPES NORTH AND SOUTH
The difference is there, you can’t deny it. Perhaps you could even face some mishaps but don’t mind this too
much. You will certainly find nice and friendly people, who might even invite you for a summer break on one of
the wonderful Italian coastal resorts.

Special features on the market

VAT REFUND
Recovering the VAT paid in Italy during your shopping is possible (and recommended, considering that the
Italian VAT is usually 20%). Look for shops with the blue target TAX-free: they will give you a special receipt
upon seeing your passport.
For residents living outside the European Union, in accordance to the Art. 38-quater of the DPR 633/72 (Italian
law on VAT), eligibility to apply for a refund depends on:

-

invoices/fiscal receipts for a total amount of at least €154,94), VAT included

-

purchases should be for personal or family use

You will obtain the refund:

-

at the TAX-free centres (where available)

-

when leaving the country/Europe, at the Customs offices.

VAT REFUND FOR NON-RESIDENT COMPANIES
Due to the double taxation agreement between Switzerland and Italy, it is now possible to obtain a refund on
VAT. A refund of VAT for the previous year can be applied for by June 30 of the current year.
Eligibility to apply for a refund depends on:

-

not having any permanent establishment in Italy.

-

not having a tax adviser in Italy.

-

not having conducted any business transactions in Italy, except for transport service and ancillary ser-
vices not subject to tax.

-

the VAT refund in question being in respect of purchases and imports of goods and services that are
relevant to the applicant's business and are also tax-deductible.

For further information you can visit the web page of the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Italy/Swiss Business
Hub Italy:

www.ccsi.it

.

WHEN ESTABLISHING A COMPANY
If you intend to establish a business or a company in Italy, keep in mind that you will need the assistance of
some local professionals/experts, such as:

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-

lawyers, to assist you with contracts and, more in general, with the Italian legal system, which is more
complicated than in Switzerland

-

accountants, to cover all the complexities of the Italian fiscal system, a real maze even for Italians;

-

both categories, to deal with matters related to administration, payments, employment, social security,
trade unions and so on.

Two relevant laws:

-

the Corporate Law, with the Reform Law (D.Lgs/Law Decree n. 6/2003) of January 1, 2004

-

on employment regulations, the Labour Law of October 24, 2003 (the so-called “Law Biagi”,
D.Lgs/Law Decree n. 276/2003), with rules and Labour Contracts possibilities.

Useful link: the portal SwItAdvice

http://www.switadvice.com/index.php

, a compared Swiss-Italian legal and

fiscal Guide


SPECIAL NOTE
In Italy, the Confederation owns a unique location in the centre of Milan. It is the so called “Centro Svizzero”
where all the Swiss Institutions and Associations in Milan are sited: the Consulate general, the Istituto Svizzero
di Roma (cultural centre), the Swiss Chamber of Commerce in Italy, Switzerland Tourism, the Società Svizzera,
the Radiotelevisione Svizzera di lingua italiana. Among the Institutions, there is also the Swiss School located
nearby, in Via Appiani.

http://www.centrosvizzero.com

Inside the Swiss Centre, there is Spazio Eventi, a facility created for meetings, seminars, exhibitions etc. Man-
aged by the Swiss Chamber of Commerce, it is possible to organise there any event, from conventions to small
meetings to one-to-one business meetings to support Swiss companies in their activities in Milan.

http://www.ccsi.it

Date:

December 2010

Author:

Paola Tavoso

Author’s address:

Swiss Business Hub Italy

c/o Camera di Commercio Svizzera in Italia

via Palestro, 2 – 20121 Milano

Tel. [phone]

Fax. [phone]

E-Mail: [e-mail]