Italy

Italy's Golden Power regime—which grants the government authority to approve, condition, or veto foreign acquisitions in strategic sectors including defence, energy, telecommunications, critical infrastructure, and space technology—continues to expand its jurisdictional reach in 2026. Regulatory analysis confirms that the regime assesses 'potential influence of the purchaser over the company' rather than shareholding thresholds alone, meaning sub-threshold transactions structured to confer significant influence remain subject to government review.

White & Case LLP / ICLG · 2026-03-31

Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs cites the UNCTAD World Investment Report 2025 in positioning Italy as the second most attractive country in the European Union for greenfield foreign direct investment, having attracted €35.6 billion in greenfield capital. The government's InvestItalia agency, reporting to the Prime Minister's office, coordinates inward FDI promotion activities as a central point of contact for prospective investors.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation · 2026-05-23

Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP), spanning 2021–2026, deploys over €200 billion in European Union funds targeting digital and green transition investments alongside structural reforms. The NRRP framework continues to serve as a primary channel through which public and co-investment capital is being deployed, with the plan's terminal year creating time pressure on project execution and disbursement.

Lloyds Bank Trade International Trade Portal · 2026-05-23

On 20 May 2026, Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Giorgia Meloni concluded a summit in Rome under which India and Italy committed to elevating bilateral ties to a 'special strategic partnership' and adopted the Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029. The two governments set a bilateral trade target of €20 billion by 2029, up from €14.25 billion recorded in 2025, with Italy identified as India's fourth-largest trading partner within the EU.

Business Standard · 2026-05-20

The India-Italy summit produced 15 discrete outcomes spanning defence industrial cooperation, critical minerals collaboration, a mobility agreement for Indian nurses, and a pact to promote Indian marine exports to Italy. Prime Minister Modi also acknowledged Italy's support for accelerating the India–European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA), signalling Rome's active role in advancing that broader multilateral negotiation.

Republic World · 2026-05-20

Italy's securities and financial trading regulatory framework in 2026 operates within the EU rulebook, with day-to-day oversight divided between CONSOB (Commissione Nazionale per le Società e la Borsa) for securities markets and the Bank of Italy for prudential supervision. Crypto-asset services remain subject to evolving EU-level rules, creating residual regulatory uncertainty for market entrants in that segment.

CryptoGmail / Regulatory Analysis · 2026-05-09

Italy is the third-largest economy in the Eurozone with a gross domestic product at current prices of approximately USD 2.42 trillion (International Monetary Fund, April 2025) and a domestic consumer market of 60 million people. The country ranks as the world's eighth-largest manufacturing economy and fourth-largest exporter by total export value, with 2024 exports reaching €675 billion.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation · 2026-05-23

Foreign direct investment net inflows into Italy recorded a contraction of €5.46 billion in December 2025, reflecting volatility in the balance-of-payments direct investment account. OECD data for the first half of 2024 showed total investment inflows of USD 7.6 billion, a significant decline from USD 17.7 billion in the equivalent prior-year period, underscoring the sensitivity of Italian FDI flows to global capital market conditions.

Trading Economics / Lloyds Bank Trade · 2026-05-23

Over 17,600 foreign multinationals are currently active in Italy, employing approximately 1.7 million workers; although these firms represent only 0.4% of Italian companies, they account for 9.4% of the workforce, 20.3% of total sales, 17.1% of value added, and 32.7% of research and development expenditure. Persistent structural impediments—including elevated procedural and tax compliance costs, labour market rigidities, and regional economic disparities—continue to constrain the country's overall investment attractiveness relative to its market size.

Lloyds Bank Trade International Trade Portal · 2026-05-23

The India-Italy Joint Strategic Action Plan 2025–2029 identifies manufacturing, fintech, fashion, logistics, leather, and mobility as priority sectors for bilateral commercial collaboration, with over 800 Italian enterprises already operating in India. For market entry professionals, the plan's sectoral specificity signals near-term procurement and partnership opportunities in these verticals on both sides of the bilateral relationship.

Republic World · 2026-05-20

Italy holds first place in the G20 for industrial diversification and maintains a network of bilateral investment treaties (BITs) with approximately 50 countries, providing a contractual framework for investor protection across a broad range of source markets. The country's strategic geographic position as a gateway to both the EU's 500-million-consumer market and North African and Middle Eastern markets of 270 million consumers remains a structural commercial advantage.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation · 2026-05-23

Italy's tourism sector generated revenues exceeding €25 billion in the first quarter of 2026 alone, with international visitor numbers up 10.45% in the first seven months of 2025. The sector's sustained outperformance reinforces commercial opportunities in hospitality, logistics, and consumer services for market entrants targeting Italy's high-value tourism economy.

Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation · 2026-05-23