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The Ins and Outs of Exporting to Italy

Italy, the world's seventh-largest industrial economy in 2007 with a population of about 58 million people, is known for its leadership in high-priced elastic goods. It is also a member of the European Union, Group of Eight (G-8) industrialised nations and the European Union (EU) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

The leading producer of pumice and feldspar, mineral-rich Italy is however largely dependent on oil and gas imports to meet its energy needs. Apart from crude oil, Italy also imports motor vehicle parts and accessories, refined oil, telephone equipment, computers and stainless steel products.

From Singapore, Italy mainly imports chemicals, pharmaceuticals, electronic components, medical and surgical equipment, refined petroleum products, jewelry, optical instruments and photographic equipment.

What You Should Know

As some products have additional restrictions, adhering to the guidelines listed below will prevent delays or hold-ups at customs.

• Customs may require an import license and Certificate of Origin for some commercial textile shipments depending on the harmonised tariff code and the goods' country of origin (not country of export). The importer must obtain the import license from the Ministry of Foreign Trade.
• On April 7th, 2006 the Commission of the European Community imposed a provisional anti-dumping duty on imports of certain footwear with uppers of leather originating from or manufactured in the People's Republic of China and Vietnam (EU regulation 553/2006). In order to avoid mistaken customs declarations at import, the exporter must provide very detailed information about the shoes for example, what kind of leather, what kind of shoes, who is to wear the shoes (children, women, men, etc.).
• The Washington Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits shipments containing leather products made from non-domesticated animals. This rule also applies to watches with leather straps. For leather goods not covered by CITES, the consignee must declare that the leather is not from a protected animal species. The invoice or the importer's additional declaration must include the Latin scientific name of the animal.

It is useful to note that freight charge and other fees may have to be considered together with the value of the commodity when calculating duty and tax.

Need further information? UPS can advise you on any restrictions or special requirements for shipping to Italy.

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