A sweeping new ‘simplification and digitalisation’ law aimed at cutting red tape across Italian public services came into force on December 18th, bringing changes that range from faster work permit processing to the ability to get a sick note without leaving home.
The “innovative law”, now set to be updated annually, aims to “simplify Italian legislation and ensure that all new regulations are forward-looking," Minister for Institutional Reforms Maria Elisabetta Alberti Casellati said after its final approval in parliament.
It comes as part of a broader push from the European Commission for Italy to simplify its famously complex bureaucratic procedures and improve efficiency, under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan first implemented in the wake of the Covid pandemic.
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So far, a total of 357 simplifications have been approved, with the majority focused on streamlining business regulations and others intended to make life easier for residents.
The new law, published in the Gazzetta Ufficiale on December 3rd (available here, in Italian only), runs to 74 articles covering immigration, healthcare, building permits, pharmacy services and more.
Not all of the changes are in effect immediately as further laws and decrees are needed to set out the detail.
But for now, here are some of the main changes that may make life easier.
Faster work permit processing
For non-EU residents, the most significant changes affect work permit processing. The law simplifies the housing documentation that employers must provide when applying for a nulla osta (work authorisation) on behalf of a foreign worker.
Previously, employers had to prove that worker accommodation met public housing standards – a requirement that could involve lengthy certification. This has been changed to proving it meets basic health and safety requirements.
The law also cuts the maximum processing time for work permit authorisations from 90 to 30 days for workers who have completed Italy-funded vocational and language training in their home countries, and for highly-skilled workers qualifying for the EU Blue Card.
Sick notes and prescriptions
The healthcare changes mean it should soon no longer be necessary to make a doctor’s appointment just to get a repeat prescription or a sick note.
The law allows doctors to issue sick leave certificates online or over the phone, giving remote consultations the same legal status as in-person visits.
It also lets doctors issue repeat prescriptions for chronic conditions valid for up to 12 months.
Both measures need further implementing decrees before they take effect, and the doctors' union FIMMG has noted that no deadline has been set, so it’s unclear when this will come into effect.
More services at pharmacies
Pharmacies are also able to offer more services under the new rules, in a move hoped to further reduce pressure on doctors’ offices.
Pharmacists will be able to give vaccinations to anyone over 12 years old, offer online consultations, and carry out hepatitis C screening tests.
Patients will also be able to collect prescribed medications using hospital discharge documents without needing to get a separate doctor’s prescription.
Other changes
The law reduces from 12 to six months the window in which public authorities can reverse their own decisions, in a move intended to give more certainty that approved permits won't be undone months down the line.
Bar and restaurant owners will see Covid-era rules on outdoor seating extended until 30 June 2027. The simplified rules will remain in place while the government works on permanent regulations expected to give local councils more powers, while limiting heritage authority oversight to areas immediately next to major monuments.
Sworn translations of official documents can now be completed digitally. Translators will be able to sign and submit documents electronically using a digital signature, with the sworn oath included in a digital file.
This ends the requirement for translators to appear in person in court or before a notary, meaning a saving in time and costs in this essential step for a large number of bureaucratic procedures.
One measure that was not included in the final text of law was a previously announced plan to scrap ID card renewals for over-70s. That change is reportedly still in the works as a separate project, with government ministries yet to agree on the details.
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