Corruption and organized crime continue to be significant impediments to investment and economic growth in parts of Italy, despite efforts by successive governments to reduce risks. Italian law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials.  The government has usually implemented these laws effectively, but officials sometimes have engaged in corrupt practices with impunity.  While anti-corruption laws and trials garner headlines, they have been only somewhat effective in stopping corruption.  Italy has steadily improved in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, in overall rank and score every year since 2014, yet ranked 53 in the 2018 index.

In October 2012, as part of an anti-corruption package, a new National Anti-Corruption Authority (ANAC) was created.  The 2012 anti-corruption law has subsequently been strengthened by further provisions. In November 2017 the government approved legislation to protect both public and private sector employees who report illicit conduct in the workplace (i.e. whistleblowing).  The legislation helped protect employees who denounce illicit conduct to the National Anti-Corruption Authority or to enforcement agencies from retaliation. In December 2018 Italy’s Parliament passed an anti-corruption bill that introduced new provisions to combat corruption in the public sector and regulate campaign finance.  The measures in the bill changed the statute of limitations for corruption-related crimes as well as other crimes and made it more difficult for a person to “run out the clock” on their case.  Italy’s anti-money-laundering laws also apply to public officials, defined as any person who has been entrusted with important political functions, as well as their immediate family members. (This encompasses anyone from the head of state to members of the executive body in state-owned companies.)

U.S. individuals and firms operating or investing in foreign markets should take the time to become familiar with the anticorruption laws of both the foreign country and the United States in order to comply with them and, where appropriate, they should seek the advice of legal counsel.  While the U.S. Embassy has not received specific complaints of corruption from U.S. companies operating in Italy, commercial and economic officers are familiar with high-profile cases that may impact U.S. companies. The Embassy has received requests for assistance from companies facing a lack of transparency and complicated bureaucracy, particularly in the sphere of government procurement and specifically in the aerospace industry.  There have been no reports of government failure to protect NGOs that investigate corruption (such as Transparency International Italy).

Italy has signed and ratified the UN Anticorruption Convention and the OECD Convention on Combatting Bribery.

Resources to Report Corruption:

Autorità Nazionale Anticorruzione (ANAC)
Via Marco Minghetti, 10 – 00187 Roma
Phone: +39 06 367231
Fax: +39 06 36723274
Email: protocollo@pec.anticorruzione.it
Contact Info page: http://www.anticorruzione.it/portal/public/classic/MenuServizio/Contatti  
ANAC’s whistleblowing web page is:  http://www.anticorruzione.it/portal/public/classic/Servizi/ServiziOnline/SegnalazioneWhistleblowing  

Transparency International Italia
P.le Carlo Maciachini 11
20159 Milano – Italy
T: +39 02 40093560
F: +39 02 406829
Email: info@transparency.it
General web site: www.transparency.it  
Corruption Specific: https://www.transparency.it/alac/