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Country fiches: Italy

IP crimes are regulated in the Italian Criminal Code, Title VII, Chapter II, forgery of seals or instruments or signs of authentication, certification or recognition and Title VIII, Chapter II - Crimes against industry and commerce. The criminal code provisions shall be applicable together with special laws on various intellectual property rights. Copyright violations are not regulated in the Criminal Code, they are set in the Law on Protection of Copyrights and Related Rights.

In Italy, general provisions of criminal procedure apply to the investigation and prosecution of the intellectual property crimes. These crime fall under the general rules of jurisdiction.

Verified in October 2023

National legislation

National legislation on intellectual property crimes

Copyright violations

Articles 171, 171bis and 171ter of the Law on Protection of Copyrights and Related Rights

Law on Protection of Copyrights and Related Rights:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Counterfeiting of trademark

Sections 473, 474, 514 - 517 of the Criminal Code

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Chapter II of the Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
Codice della Proprietà Industriale

Patent violations

Section 473 of the Criminal Code

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Section IV of the Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
Codice della Proprietà Industriale

Industrial design violations

Sections 473, 474 and 517ter of the Criminal Code

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Section III of the Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
Codice della Proprietà Industriale

Violations of geographical indications of origin

Section 517bis read together with Sections 515-517 and Section 517C of the Criminal Code

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Section II of the Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
Codice della Proprietà Industriale

Violations of plant variety rights

Considered as administrative offence – see Varietà vegetale: configurabile reato di contraffazione o l’illecito amministrativo? (altalex.com)

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Section VIII of the Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
LEGISLATIVE DECREE 10 February 2005, n. 30 - Normattiva

Trade Secrets violations

Sections 325, 326, 621 and 623 of the Criminal Code

Criminal Code:
Gazzetta Ufficiale

Definition of trade secrets - Section 98, Paragraph 1, of Industrial Property Code

Industrial Property Code:
Codice della Proprietà Industriale

National contacts

Law Enforcement Agencies

In Italy, there is a network of specialized units handling the IP crime investigations within the Guardia di Finanza. At the central level, the IP crime investigations are carried out by the Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Security Group (Nucleo Speciale Beni e Servizi).

At the local level, each province has an Economic and Financial Police Unit.

Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Security Group (Nucleo Speciale Beni e Servizi)

rm221.protocollo@gdf.it

+39 6 96513691

Via Fortunato Depero, n. 76 - 00155 Roma

Guardia di Finanza

Prosecution

The prosecution of the IP from fall under the competencies of the Public Prosecutor’s Offices.

There is no unit in the Public Prosecution Office specialised in prosecuting IP crimes.

Public Prosecutor’s Offices

List of Public Prosecutor’s Offices and their contact details: Ministero della giustizia | Giustizia Map

Judiciary

There are no specialised courts on IP crimes. This type of crime fall under general court system.

The general courts are organised in a three-tier system:

Peace and Regional Tribunals;
Courts of Appeals;
The Supreme Court.

Italian Courts

List of Italian courts and their contact details: Ministero della giustizia | Giustizia Map

Judicial libraries

ITALGIUREWEB

This is a public and free database. Registration is not required.

ItalgiureWeb

Selected judgments from:

Court of Cassation (3rd instance)
Constitutional Court.

Other available resources:

state and regional legislation,
circulars from the Ministry of Justice,
links to EU legislation.

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