Italy

[IT] Amendment of the Decree to Intervene Urgently in Favour of the Film Industry

IRIS 1997-8:1/15

Marina Benassi

Attorney at law

On 29 May 1997, the Italian Official Journal (Gazzetta Ufficiale) published the amended Ministerial Decree to intervene urgently in favour of the film industry, which had been adopted on 24 March 1997. The Decree foresees in the simplification of the administrative procedures that are to be followed for the granting of Italian nationality to national productions and productions of national cultural interest. The new provisions aim at drastically cutting down the time-consuming bureaucratic interferences and to make the procedures designed to determine the nationality of productions, more transparent.

The granting of Italian nationality is of crucial importance for film productions, since it is a prerequisite to benefiting from financial funds as well as exemptions and privileges.

The list of requirements to be fulfilled in order for a production to become eligible for the grant of Italian nationality, which is contained in the Decree, stipulates that the majority of the main actors, as well as three-quarter of the remaining performers, must possess the Italian nationality. Moreover, the production must retain a certain degree of artistic, cultural or entertaining value. Furthermore, the use of the Italian language is made compulsory to granting Italian nationality.

The amended rules also foresee in the establishment of the Commissione Consultiva (Advisory Comission). The role of this entity to formulate (binding) opinions on the fulfilment of the criteria for the granting of Italian nationality.