Regulatory update – Italy

What is the new requirement?

The MISE (Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy) has set the Law No. 207/2024 (Budget Law 2025), which modified the Article 5, paragraph 1, of Legislative Decree No. 179/2012, establishing that all company directors in Italy are now required to have a personal certified electronic mail address (PEC) registered with the Companies Register. The measure aims to improve transparency regarding the identity of company directors and to ensure a legally recognized channel for third-party communications.

Deadline

For newly incorporated companies or newly appointed director, the PEC must be registered at the time of incorporation or appointment. For existing companies, the deadline to submit directors’ PEC addresses is 31 December 2025.

What is PEC?

The PEC (Posta Elettronica Certificata) is a certified electronic mail system legally recognized in Italy. It provides a secure and legally valid method of digital communication, functioning similarly to registered mail. Issued by authorized providers accredited by the Agenzia per l’Italia Digitale, PEC ensures proof of both delivery and receipt of messages, as long as both sender and recipient use PEC addresses. Compared to ordinary email, PEC offers legal guarantees of delivery, making it suitable for official communications, including those with legal implications.

Penalties for non-compliance

Failure to communicate the directors’ PEC addresses, as it is an informational element expressly required by law, will prevent the positive conclusion of the preliminary investigation process for an application/registration request, or for an act of appointment or renewal of a director submitted by the company to the Chamber of Commerce (CCIAA). It can also impose administrative fines ranging from EUR 130 to EUR 1,302.