Prohibited Imports
Some items are prohibited for importing in Italy. They are certain foodstuffs, food colorings, drugs and narcotics, animal products, plants, seed grains, alcohol, cosmetics and toiletries, etc.
Documents Required: commercial invoice, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin.
Taxes
Importers should obtain an official ruling on the customs classification, duty rates and taxes. It is advisable to do prior to signing a long-term contract or sending a shipment of considerable value.
Almost all goods originating in the United States can be imported without import licensing or free of quantitative restrictions. But some monitoring measures are applied to imports of certain sensitive products. The automatic import license for textiles is the most important of these measures. The import license, which is granted to Italian importers when they provide the requisite forms, is the responsibility of the Italian importer.
Value-Added Taxes
The following is the schedule of VAT rates presently applicable in Italy: 0% rate applies to exports outside the EU and supplies of goods to entrepreneurs in other EU states, sales of ships and aircraft and related parts, and supplies (with certain limitations) and specified services relating to international operations; 4% applies to numerous basic agricultural products, basic foodstuffs (i.e. bread, milk and fruits), certain medical aids, books and newspapers; 10% applies to certain agricultural products, transportation services for individuals, most foodstuff, livestock and meat, most pharmaceutical products, energy for private use, telecommunication services rendered through public phones (tlc for private use are at 20% rate), services rendered by hotels and restaurants and the cost of domestic airline tickets; 20% rate applies to all goods and services not subject to other rates (including most of the goods previously subject to the 12% rate – i.e., shoes, textiles, records and tapes).
Labeling and Marking
Italy doesn't fix general requirement for imports to be marked with country of origin. But specified commodities must be marked or labeled to show composition, and name and location of manufacturer. Some articles are subject to special marking or labeling regulations. They are: lime, cement and similar binding agents; pianos, automatic pianos, harmonicas and similar instruments; clinical thermometers; ethical medicines; cosmetics. Hallmarking of gold and silver articles is required before they can be offered for sale. It may be done by a hallmarking office after importation.
As Italy uses the metric system of weights and measures, which is called the International System of Units (SI), labeling must be in metric units for all imported products to be sold in Italy. Dual labeling information is permitted, but the non-metric information must not predominate.
Imports of certain commodities such as packaged foods, distilled spirits, beer, wine, vinegar and foodstuffs are subject to special regulations requiring their labeling to display manufacturer, composition, content (in metric units), and country of origin. | 
