Definition of the Craft in Italy

 

The Craft in Italy

 

The law n° 443 dated 8th August 1985 and the law n°133 dated 20th May 1997 define the Craft in Italy. The Italian Constitution (art. 117) gives  a legislative competence to the Regions with regard to the protectorship, the development of the Craft and the valorisation of the craft production in its several expressions: territorial, artistic and traditional.

 

Definition

According to art. 3 of the law n°443/1985 and law n°133/1997  the main aim of the craft firm is to develop an activity of goods production, of semi - finished or services provision. The following activities can not be considered craft activities: agricultural works, commercial services, brokerage and the sale of food and drink but in few cases, where the craft activities are contiguous to other economy sectors (for instance wine and oil can be considered as craft activities), the same concerns the offer of commercial services for the goods circulation etc.

 

According to the laws 443/1985 and 133/1997, the craft entrepreneur participates directly in the work of the enterprise, also manually, in all phases of the production or of the offer of services in order that the final product reflects his competence. He is responsible also directly and personally of the enterprise management and he has to own the vocational qualifications required by the law for the exercise of the profession, the training of his apprentices and the direction of skilled workers.

 

 

Size

5 categories of size are foreseen by the Italian law according to the activity of the enterprise:
  1. craft enterprise of the artistic sector, tailored clothing: max 32 employees of which 16 apprentices. Provided that the supplementary employees are apprentices, the maximum number can rise to 40;
     
  2. craft enterprise of the building sector: maximum of 10 employees including apprentices (not more than 5). Provided that the supplementary employees are apprentices, the maximum number can rise to 14;
     
  3. craft enterprise of the transport sector: maximum of 8 employees;
     
  4. craft enterprise working in mass production: maximum of 9 employees including apprentices (not more than 5). Provided that the supplementary employees are apprentices, the maximum number can rise to 12;
     
  5. craft enterprise not working in mass production: maximum of 18 employees including apprentices (not more than 9). Provided that the supplementary employees are apprentices, the maximum number can rise 22.

 

N.B: The craft entrepreneur, the partners and the members of his family are included in the calculation of the employees number, excluding the apprentices for two years after the qualification, the home workers and the handicapped.

If a craft enterprise exceeds of 20 % the number of employees authorised for a maximum period of 3 months in a year, it can still remain a craft enterprise.

 

Legal status

 

Legal status of the craft enterprise is mainly:

 

The associate forms such as the consortium and temporary associations are also considered  craft enterprises.  

 

Administrative obligations

 

If an enterprise wishes to exercise a craft enterprise activity it has to be inscribed to the Provincial roll of craft enterprise. A commission of elected representatives of the craft sector verifies the compliance of the application. The registration allows the craft enterprises to get some benefits with regard to tax, credit access, social security, etc. Furthermore, as all the other enterprises, a craft enterprise has to be also registered into the Register of Chamber of Commerce. This registration is automatic once the enterprise is registered in the Provincial roll of craft enterprises.

 

 

Representation

 

The main representative organisations of the Italian Craft are:

 

Some data about the craft sector

Even if the data regarding the Italian craft can not be considered as exhaustive even neither scientifically loyal, we give some information: