TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE MANUAL “THE ABC OF IMPORT-EXPORT”

0. Introduction
1. How to set up an import-export business and what the related administrative formalities are;
2. How to choose your trade partner;
- Country-risk assessment and approaching foreign markets;
- The forms of commercial co-operation: sales agents, brokers and distributors;
- How to find a foreign partner, the services offered by the Enterprise Europe Network, by the Italian Chambers of Commerce located abroad and by the Italian diplomatic offices abroad;
3. Commercial operations and foreign trade;
- Destination/origin of goods; goods shipped to/received from EU countries and from Non-EU countries.
- Requested documents when carrying out foreign trade operations in Italy: the Transport Document (Documento di Trasporto/DDT) the Single Administrative Document/SAD (Documento Amministrativo Unico/DAU);
- Community and national customs tariffs in use;
- Duties;
4. Quality and delivery of goods;
- Delivery of goods: place and time of delivery;
- Quality of goods;
5. Payment and debt collection;
- Most common means of payment and guarantees;
- Debt collection: how to determine the competent jurisdiction, what the European enforcement order and the European order for payment are, alternatives to ordinary courts (arbitration and conciliation);
6. E-commerce;
- Administrative formalities;
- Online contract;
- Fiscal aspects;
7. Specific sectoral regulations;
- Foods and beverages, certifications and health inspections, importing and exporting, particular foods;
- Cosmetics;
- Jewellery items;
- Textile products;
Appendix: Customs and glossary of customs terminology.

INTRODUCTION

Below are the three key-points you should consider if you are planning to enter a foreign market:
a) How should I operate with foreign businesses?
b) Is my business adequate to go international?
c) How can I obtain information about prospective foreign partners, and about the political economic, and judicial systems of the country where I want to set up my operations?

1. HOW TO START UP AN IMPORT-EXPORT BUSINESS

ADMINISTRATIVE FORMALITIES

According to Italian law, setting up an import-export operation means setting up a new business. Therefore, in accordance with the Italian Legislative Decree 59/2010, with effect from 1 April 2010 all businesses must hand in the Single Notification (Comunicazione Unica). This notification enables businesses to carry out, simultaneously and in a single procedure, all main formalities (administrative, fiscal, insurance, legal and social security). The Notification must be submitted Chamber of Commerce with territorial jurisdiction which will then notify the Italian register of handicraft and small businesses (albo imprese artigiane) or other register, the INPS (Italian Institute for Social Security), the INAIL (Italian National Institute for Labour Injuries) and the Italian Revenue Agency.

COMPANY REGISTRY

Enrolment with company registry is mandatory for:
• manufacturing or trading businesses;
• wholesale trading businesses, regulated by Art. 5 of the Italian Legislative Decree 114/98 and subsequent amendments (submit the application to the Italian company registry office (Registro Imprese));
• retail businesses (please contact in advance the municipal offices of the town where your business will be based).

SETTING UP A RETAIL OR WHOLESALE BUSINESS IN THE FOOD AND BEVERAGE SECTOR

In addition to satisfying the product safety requirements and with those concerning customs, in order to set up a food and beverage trading business (whether retailing, wholesaling, street trading, door-to-door selling, mail order trading, and e-commerce), under Art. 71 of the Italian Legislative Decree 59/2010, you must possess the moral and professional requirements described therein.

DISTANCE SELLING

Under Art. 18 of the Italian Legislative Decree No. 114/98, e-commerce is a form of retail distance selling and therefore it is necessary to submit the Certified Notification of Business Commencement with immediate effect (Segnalazione Certificata di Inizio Attività ad efficacia immediata) to the municipal offices where the business has its Registered Office. It is also necessary to submit the Single Notification) to the competent Chamber of Commerce.