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TRAVELLING WITHIN THE EUROPEAN UNION  

Products and consumer goods
Since January 1st 1993 the European Union member states are a common and single area where persons, goods and capitals can freely circulate. Therefore, travelers moving from one member state to the other (note n.1) are allowed to carry goods purchased in any business whatsoever with no restrictions or formalities. However, for some categories of products subject to production and consumption tax (manufactured tobacco, alcohol and alcoholic beverages) quantity restrictions have been set to their free circulation:
 Tobacco, alcohol and alcoholic beverages
Quantities allowed for purchases in any business
MANUFACTURED TOBACCO:
Cigarettes 800 pieces or Cigarillos (max. 3 gr each) 400 pieces
or Cigars 200 pieces or Smoking tobacco  1 Kg

(1) European Union Member States: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain. From 2004 adherence of the following countries is foreseen: Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latria, Lithuania, Cyprus and Malta.


 Tobacco, alcohol and alcoholic beverages
Quantities allowed for purchases in any business
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:
Alcohol & alcoholic beverages of an actual strength by volume exceeding 22% : 10 L
Alcoholic beverages of an actual strength by volume inferior to 22% : 20 L
Wine (including 60 l of sparkling wine) : 90 L - Beer:  110 L
If the quantity of such products exceeds the afore-mentioned restrictions, the goods are intended for trade and their circulation is allowed  only with administrative accompanying documents.

New means of transport
New cars, motorcycles and vehicles are subject to pay the VAT of the destination country, also in case the seller, the buyer or both are private persons. Means of transport are considered new in one of the following cases
• Vehicles which have traveled less than 6,000 Km.;
• Vehicles which have been sold within 6 months from the first registration or entry in the Public Registry or equivalent acts. Attention: If vehicles are sold in a foreign country it is necessary, when signing the contract of purchase, to remove the plates and consign them to the Vehicle Registration Board together with car registration
and the ownership documents or certificate, in order to cancel the vehicle registration from the files.
Works of Arts
Travelers coming from an EC member state shall go to the competent Office in the departure country producing the documents of origin of the works of art in order to have a shipping certificate issued. For works of art of an age not exceeding 50 years or made by living artists no certification is required when entering Italian territory.
Transport or shipment (temporary or definitive) For the works of art which are part of the national heritage, having an historical, artistic or archaeological value, travelers shall have a national authorization to exportation, the so called certificate for free circulation, issued by the Ufficio Esportazioni della Sovrintendenza (Export Office of local units of the Ministry of National Heritage).
For the shipping of works of art of an age not exceeding 50 years or made by living artists an self certification with two photographs containing the owner declaration that the work of art is not subject to national protection is enough.
Further information may be asked for to the competent local Export Office.
Live Animals
Cats and Dogs
Importation of such animals is allowed if they are accompanied by a health certificate (issued by the country of origin). The certificate shall contain detailed information about the animal and the owner, certifying the good state of health of the animal and rabies vaccination inoculated at least 20 days but no more than 11
months before the issue of the certificate.
Other animals
Importation of animals, such as birds, fishes, frogs, tortoises, is allowed if they are accompanied by a document of origin issued by the authorities of the country of origin, certifying that sanitary controls have been carried out, and that the animal has no infectious disease.
Plants
Protected Species (Flora, fauna and by-products)
Animals
Some animals (e.g. parrots, lizards, snakes, turtles, aquarium fishes, some birds and monkeys) are referred to as “protected species” in the Washington Convention.
Travelers importing such animals shall have the CITES certificate, (Convention
on International Trade of Endangered Species) issued by the authorities of the country of origin and the health certificate.
Importation of certain species (e.g. leopards, cheetahs and ocelots) listed in the Appendix 1 to the Washington Convention is forbidden.
Plants
Some species (e.g. cactus and orchids) are considered “protected species”. Travelers importing them shall have an import authorization issued by the authorities of the country of origin. The importation and exportation of certain species (e.g. cactus Ariocarpus and orchid Papiotelinum) is forbidden by the Washington Convention.

Ivory, Furs and Coral
Also products deriving from animals protected by the Washington Convention shall be imported accompanied by a CITES certificate, such as : • Elephant tusks and other ivory objects ; • Coral ;  • Reptile leather goods ; • Products made of valuable fabric and furs ; • Wood coming from Amazonian forests
If the species and their by-products are intended for personal use the infringement of the provisions concerning CITES certification is punished with the payment of fines ranging from € 1,032.91 to € 9,296.22.
In order to carry out formalities for the trade and the personal use of plants, of living or dead animals or their parts, avoiding the sanctions envisaged by the legislation, information must be gathered at the competent Authorities (the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of Productive Activities).
Further information is to be found in the CITES manual (www.agenziadogane.it) containing the relevant legislation, the most frequent cases concerning customs and CITES Convention, the list of the Authorized Customs Offices, the complete and clear-cut pattern of the requested formalities as well as the different forms needed for the various procedures to be followed.
Weapons
Within the meaning of public security provisions, the introduction in the national territory of any kind of fire-arms, knives or improper arms is forbidden, unless they are accompanied by a regular permission issued by the traveler's place of residence police headquarters.
Currency
Importation and exportation of foreign currency and bearer stocks Currency
is allowed up to € 10,329.14 without any declaration.
For amounts exceeding € 12,500.00 a form shall be filled in to be deposited at a bank, customs office, post office, headquarter of the Guardia di Finanza (financial police) on a weekday within 48 hours after entering or before leaving the national territory. Not producing a declaration when requested means infringing the monetary legislation. In this case 40% of the amount exceeding the value of 12.500,00 Euro is bound to be confiscated. Such amount will be given back only after payment of the fine established by the Italian currency-exchange office ( which may be equivalent to 40% of the exceeding amount).

Travel advice FOR TRAVELLERS  GOING ABROAD

Protected species
When buying decorative plants, live animals or products manufactured with parts of “protected species” according to CITES Convention (boots, bags, pieces of furniture and jewels etc.) it is recommended to ask the seller to produce the CITES authorization certificate issued by the country of origin of such plant, animal or by-product.

Photo-Video and Electronic Equipment
Expensive cameras, video-cameras, personal computers, shall be accompanied by such documents as: (purchase receipt, guarantee certificate or bill of entry) proving that the goods have been regularly purchased in or imported to Italy in case Customs controls are carried out when coming back to Italy. In case of missing documents, before leaving the country it is advisable to go to port and airport Customs offices and have an ownership declaration issued; such document shall be shown in case Customs controls are carried out when coming back to Italy.

Traveling by car
Traveling to E.U. countries by car doesn't involve special formalities. The Italian driving licence and car insurance are acknowledged in all Member States. In some countries a “carta verde” is necessary (green card, e.g. an international car insurance policy), which is issued by insurance companies or border Customs offices of the country requiring it. The “international driving licence”, issued by the local prefect’s office, is compulsory in all non-E.U. countries and in the countries of the former Soviet Union.
Departures
Controls and formalities are carried out in the origin country, also when the aircraft stops over at a Community airport before continuing to a non-Community airport.
Baggage controls at the airport
For the purposes of Customs controls baggage shall be considered either as hold baggage or cabin baggage. When baggage is transferred at a Community airport to another air-craft bound for an international airport, controls are carried out at the airport where the transfer takes place.
Arrivals
Customs controls are carried out in the destination country. Controls on cabin baggage of travelers continuing their journey on an intra-Community flight after a transfer to another aircraft are carried out at the destination airport of the last aircraft, whereas controls on hold baggage are carried out at the Community airport where the stop over takes place, together with the clearance of the objects bought
abroad for the amount exceeding the exemption.
Attention: In order to find lost luggage more easily it is recommended to write full name and address, number and date of the flight both on the external and internal label of the luggage itself.

Further information
For further information we suggest resorting to the Agency’s website: www.agenziadogane.it where information concerning “exchanges with users” is available.

TRAVELLING FROM/TO THIRD COUNTRIES
Products and consumer goods
Import
Customs duty exemption is granted for products and consumer
goods carried by travelers coming from countries not belonging
to the European Union (note n. 2) or carried inside their baggage;
however such goods shall not be intended for trade and their
value shall not be superior to €175. Such limit is reduced to €90
for travelers under 15 years of age.
The value of the goods listed in the following table shall not be included in the global value of €175. The products shown in the table are subject to a quantity limitation:
Cigars, Cigarettes or Tobacco, alcohol, perfumes, coffee and tea
Quantity restrictions for goods purchased out of the European Union
MANUFACTURED TOBACCO:
Cigarillos (max. 3 gr. each)
Smoking tobacco
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:
Alcohol and beverages of an actual strength by volume exceeding 22%; undenatured ethyl alcohol of an alcoholic strength by volume of 80% vol or higher
200 pieces
100 pieces
50 pieces
TRAVELLING FROM/TO  THIRD COUNTRIES
250 gr
1l
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TRAVELLING FROM/TO THIRD COUNTRIES
 Tobacco, alcohol, perfumes, coffee and tea
Quantity restrictions for goods purchased out of the European Union
or 2 l
 Distilled and alcoholic beverages, wine-made aperitifs or alcohol-made aperitifs, of an actual strength by volume of 22 % or less; sparkling wines, liqueur wine or
2 l Still wines
PERFUMES:
25 cl  Perfumes 50 gr
Toilet water • the overall value of goods exceeds €154,94 (VAT included);
COFFEE:
Coffee 500 gr • the purchase is certified by an invoice containing the description
or 200 gr Coffee extracts or essences
TEA:
100 gr Tea  or 40 gr Tea extracts or essences
Travelers under 17 years of age are excluded from tobacco and  alcohol exemption; travelers under 15 years of age are excluded also from coffee exemption.
(2) European Union Member States: Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Spain, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Austria, Portugal, Finland, Sweden, Great Britain.
From 2004 adherence of the following countries is foreseen: Poland, Hungary, Slovenia, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Estonia, Latria, Lithuania, Cyprus and Malta.

When exceeding the amount of €175 allowing exemption, the
Export
There is no limitation as to value. However, there may be restrictions
set forth by the national legislation of destination countries.
Therefore, travelers are recommended to call the Embassy of the
countries they have to leave for in oder to gather information.
E.U. non-resident travelers may be granted VAT refund or relief
for goods purchased in Italy provided that:
• the goods are intended for personal or familiar use and are carried
in the baggage;
of goods, the personal data of the traveler as well as the particulars of his passport or of any such equivalent document;
• the goods leave the EU territory within three months after the end of the month the purchase was made;
• the goods and the relevant invoice are showed at the Customs of exit from the EU territory for the ENDORSEMENT proving that the goods have effectively left the Community territory;
• the invoice thus endorsed is returned to the Italian seller within
four months after the end of the month the purchase was made.
In order to be granted VAT refund or relief for purchased goods,
the latter must be always shown at the customs office.

purchased product is subject to customs duties.

Also goods other than those personally carried in the baggage outside the Community territory, forwarded to the foreign address of the owner as “not accompanied” baggage, can benefit of VAT refund: in this case the goods are shipped to destination by airline and are subject to an air-freight agreement becoming effective as from the issue by the air carrier of the so called airway bill (AWB).
For VAT refund or relief, the exit Customs shall endorse the invoice
only provided that:
• the description of the goods in the airway bill (AWB) corresponds to that of the invoice issued by the seller;
• the name of the consignor of the shipped goods corresponds to
that of the receiver;
• the personal data of the identification (passport or any such equivalent document) contained in the airway bill (AWB) match those of the invoice issued by the Italian seller.
Cats and dogs
There are currently some TAX-FREE companies that can grant immediate VAT cash refund when the goods leave the Italian or Community territory, e.g. without the passenger having to return the invoice to the seller. Such a service involves the payment of a sum that the companies deduct from the amount of VAT refunded to the foreign traveler.
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Currency
Import and export of foreign currency, other stocks and securities is allowed up to €12,500.00. For amounts exceeding this limit, a form shall be filled in to be deposited at the Customs office when leaving or entering the customs territory.
Not producing the above-mentioned form means infringing the monetary legislation.
In this case 40% of the amount exceeding the value of €12,500.00 is bound to be confiscated. Such amount will be given back only after payment of the fine established by the Italian currency-exchange office (which may be equivalent to 40% of the exceeding amount).
Live Animals
Importation of such animals is allowed if they are accompanied by a health certificate issued by the competent authorities of the country of origin. The certificate shall contain detailed information about the animal and the owner, certifying the good state of health of the animal and rabies vaccination inoculated at least 20 days but no more than 11 months before the issue of the certificate.

If animals are bound to reach third countries, travelers are recommended to contact the Embassy of those countries to gather information as to what measures to be taken and vaccinations to be inoculated.
Animals
Protected Species (Flora, fauna and by-products)
Some animals (e.g. parrots, lizards, snakes, turtles, aquarium fishes, some birds and monkeys) are referred to as “protected species” in the Washington Convention. Travelers importing such animals shall have the CITES certificate (Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species) an export authorization issued by the authorities of the country of origin. Other animals Importation of animals, such as birds, fishes, frogs, tortoises, is allowed if they are accompanied by a document of origin issued by the authorities of the country of origin, certifying that sanitary controls have been carried out, and that the animal has no infectious disease. If animals are bound to reach third countries, travelers are recommended to contact the Embassy of those countries to gather information as to what measures to be taken and vaccinations to be inoculated.
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Importation of certain species (e.g. leopards, cheetahs and ocelots)
Ivory, Furs and Coral
Import
Also products deriving from animals protected by the Washington
Convention shall be imported accompanied by a CITES certificate.
Such as:
• Elephant tusks and other ivory objects
• Coral
• Reptile leather goods
• Products made of valuable fabric and furs
• Wood coming from Amazonian forests
listed in the Appendix 1 to the Washington Convention is forbidden.
Plants
Some species (e.g. cactus and orchids) are considered “protected species”. Travelers importing them shall have an import authorization
issued by the authorities of the country of origin.
The importation and exportation of certain species (e.g. cactus Ariocarpus
and orchid Papiotelinum) is forbidden by the Washington Convention.

Export
If the Italian traveler leaves for a foreign country bringing together with him furs or other leather products, before leaving the national territory the Office of the “Corpo Forestale dello Stato” must issue a certificate of temporary exportation.
The infringement of the provisions concerning CITES certification is punished with the payment of fines ranging from €1,032.91 to €9,296.22 when the species or their by-products are intended for personal use. In order to carry out formalities for the trade and the personal use of plants, of living or dead animals or their parts, avoiding the sanctions envisaged by the legislation, information must be gathered at the competent Authorities (the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, the Ministry of the Environment and the Ministry of productive activities).
Further information is to be found in the CITES manual (www.agenziadogane.it) containing the relevant legislation, the most frequent cases concerning customs and CITES Convention, the list of the Authorized Customs Offices, the complete and clear-cut pattern of the requested formalities as well as the different forms needed
for the various procedures to be followed.

Weapons
Within the meaning of public security provisions, the introduction in the national territory of any kind of fire-arms, knives or improper arms is forbidden, unless they are accompanied by a regular permission issued by the traveler's place of residence police headquarters. In case the weapons are not provided with such permission, they can be freely deposited at the Customs Office until the issue of the authorization.

Works of Arts
Import
Travelers shall produce the invoice of the work of art to be imported at the Customs office. The Customs office, in order to verify that the object can be referred to as “work of art”, shall ask the intervention of the Ministry of National Heritage.
Export (temporary or definitive)
For the works of art listed in the Annex to the E.E.C. Regulation No 3911/92 (e.g. objects of historical or artistic interest, paintings, sculptures, ornamental vases of an age exceeding 50 years or furniture of an age exceeding 100 years), travelers shall have to produce at the Customs Office an authorization issued by the Ufficio Esportazioni delle Sovrintendenze (Export Office of local units of the Ministry of National Heritage).
As to the exportation of works of art not included in the Annex to the E.E.C. Regulation and which are part of the national heritage of artistic, historical or archaeological interest, travelers shall have a national export authorization, the so called certificate for the free circulation, issued by the Ufficio Esportazioni delle Sovrintendenze. For the shipping of works of art of an age not exceeding 50 years or
made by living artists an autocertification with two photographs containing the owner declaration that the work of art is not subject to national protection is enough. Further information may be asked for to the competent local Export Office.