Doing Business in Italy: Advisory for Foreign Investors and Companies
CMO&A advises foreign companies, groups, entrepreneurs and investors seeking to establish, acquire or develop a business in Italy. We support clients from the initial choice of the most appropriate investment structure through to the ongoing tax, accounting and corporate management of their Italian operations, coordinating other professional advisers where required.
An investment in Italy may be structured through the incorporation of an Italian company, the establishment of a branch or permanent establishment, the acquisition of an existing company or business, or other forms of presence in the Italian market. The appropriate solution depends on the investor’s objectives, planned activities, governance arrangements, taxation and financing structure.
The main alternatives for establishing a business presence in Italy are also illustrated by the official Invest in Italy portal.
Establishing or acquiring a business in Italy
We provide assistance with:
- incorporation of Italian companies, including S.r.l. and S.p.A.;
- establishment of branches, permanent establishments and representative offices;
- corporate structure, governance and relationships with the foreign parent company;
- acquisition of Italian companies, businesses and shareholdings;
- financial, accounting and tax due diligence;
- preliminary screening of potential acquisition targets or business partners based on industry, size and financial criteria;
- tax planning, cross-border transactions and transfer pricing.
Where an investment involves the acquisition of an existing business, our corporate and tax advice may be integrated with our Corporate Finance and M&A expertise, from the preliminary assessment and due diligence phase through to the organisation of the Italian investment structure.
Managing the Italian company
Incorporation or acquisition is only the beginning of the investment. CMO&A can act as a local professional point of reference for the foreign group in the ongoing management of its Italian company.
Our services include accounting, financial statements, tax returns, reporting to the parent company, corporate compliance, assistance in relationships with banks and lenders and support to directors.
We may also assess the financial and tax implications of incentives and investment-support measures available in Italy, coordinating with specialised advisers where grant applications or other specific procedures are required.
Innovative investments and start-ups
For technology-based and innovative projects, our assistance may also include assessment of innovative start-up and innovative SME requirements, financial planning and the structuring of investor entry.
Our presence in Bologna also provides direct access to one of Italy’s most developed innovation ecosystems and to the broader industrial and research environment of Emilia-Romagna.
A professional point of reference in Italy
Foreign investors benefit from having a local adviser who understands the Italian corporate, tax and administrative framework and can coordinate the different stages of the investment project.
Based in Bologna, CMO&A assists foreign investors and international groups throughout Italy, both remotely and in person, in Italian and English, coordinating notaries, lawyers, employment advisers and other specialists where appropriate.
If you are considering establishing or acquiring a business in Italy, you can arrange an initial meeting with CMO&A by emailing CONSULENZE@studiassociato.i
