Languages

The official language spoken and written in Italy is Italian, based on the Florentine version of the Tuscan language, which has been the official language since the unification of the country in the 19^th century.  The spelling of most cities varies from the English (such as Firenze instead of Florence) so it is important to make sure all labels on your parcels will be understood and are spelt correctly before you send your parcel.

Weights and Measurements

Italy is identical to the UK when it comes to weights and measurements; they both use the metric system.  When booking a parcel delivery you should make sure to quote all measurements in metric units (i.e. centimetres and kilograms) but here at Parcel2Go.com we can convert these for you using our parcel volume calculator tool.

Currency

Italy uses the Euro (€) as its official currency. Prior to the introduction of the Euro, it used the Italian Lira (ITL).  One Euro is believed to equate to 1,936.27 Lire and the Bank of Italy is accepting Lira for exchange until February 2012.

Time Zones

Italy falls under the Central European Time Zone (CET) and is one hour ahead of the UK (GMT +1) and in the summer adopts Central European Summer Time (GMT +2).  This means that contacting Italy by telephone when you need to send a parcel is fairly convenient due to the small time difference between Italy and the UK.

Public Holidays and Dates of Interest

Italy shares a number of public holidays with the UK; however there are a few differences due to events such as the end of World War II as well as Italy being a very religious country.

Below is a list of the universally recognised public holidays throughout Italy:

·         New Year’s Day (Capodanno) – 1^st January

·         Epiphany (Epifania) – 6^th January

·         Easter Sunday (Pasqua) – dependant on the year (2011: 24^th April)

·         Easter Monday (Pasquetta) – Monday after Easter Sunday

·         Anniversary of Liberation (Anniversario Della Liberazione) – 25^th April

·         Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro) – 1^st May

·         Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica) – 2^nd June

·         Assumption Day/Ferragosto (Assunzione and Ferragosto) – 15^th August

·         All Saints (Tutti i santi) – 1^st November

·         Immaculate Conception (Immacolata Concezione) – 8^th December

·         Christmas Day (Natale) – 25^th December

·         St. Stephen’s Day (Santo Stefano) – 26^th December

Customs Information

Italy is a fellow member of the European Union; this means that sending parcels between Italy and the UK will not need any customs paperwork (such as a CN22 Customs declaration form).  There are still some restricted and prohibited imports/exports that Italy lists which you’ll need to be sure not to send as your parcel could still be seized by customs and either returned or disposed.

Import restrictions

Italy, like other countries, has certain items that can only be imported in restricted amounts. Exceeding these amounts will normally require an import licence. The items that are restricted are typical items such as alcohol, tobacco and perfume.

There are a number of other restricted items that may have additional processes involved if you wish to import to Italy:

·         Antiques and artwork – These may need to be of a certain age (typically over 100 years old) and have permission from the Fine Arts authority for movement.

·         Human hair – Human hair when used for wigs or hair extensions needs to be accompanied by a health certificate.

·         Petroleum oils – minerals and oils cannot be cleared in Italy.

·         Raw coffee and seeds – Needs to be given a phytosanitary inspection before entry to Italy.

·         Weapons and knives – these items will need a police permit before they can be shipped to Italy.

Export restrictions

The UK has a number of import restrictions that relate to items being sent from Italy, including a number of strictly prohibited items that, on discovery, will either be returned to the shipper at their own expense or disposed of.  When sending parcels from Italy to the UK it is important that you check your parcel’s contents against this list first:

• Artwork – The importation of artwork from Europe is restricted and based on a number of factors such as whether the artist is alive, whether the artwork is replaceable, and the monetary value of the work. If it falls outside any of these criteria, it may need an International Special Commodities contract.
• Salami/’beef jerky’ – The UK has a strict prohibition on jerky and salami products from Italy.
• Knives – a number of knife varieties are banned in the UK, these include flick, gravity, spring-loaded and butterfly knives.
• Chili products, curry powder – both are banned apart from dried chilis which can be imported.
• Printer/Toner cartridges – due to recent events toner cartridges weighing more than 500 grams are not allowed to be sent via any aircraft.  Alternative services may be available but all parcels containing these products must be clearly labelled.

FAQ's

There are many services available that allow you to ship parcels to Italy and at Parcel2Go.com we have a number of European air and sea freight options. Here we list answers to a number of common questions from our customers; if you are still unsure or have any other queries feel free to use our live help service.

Do I need to fill out any customs declaration forms for shipping to Italy?

No, Italy is a member of the European Union so sending parcels to Italy is not considered ‘exporting’, instead it is called ‘moving’ and so no customs paperwork is required.  If your items are listed as restricted you may need to complete additional paperwork before they can be sent to Italy.

How long will my parcel take to arrive in Italy?

Deliveries from the UK to Italy can arrive within three days with one of the quickest delivery services we offer.  Other delivery services quote 4-5 days travelling time for parcels after collection.

Will I have to pay any taxes on my parcel delivery?

No taxes need be paid when sending a parcel to Italy and no customs or duty costs either as sending parcels within the EU is not subject to these charges.

Does the recipient have to pay any taxes?

Not usually. Items coming from outside the EU may be subject to import tax and duty but items sent between the UK and Italy are not usually subject to tax.

How much does it cost to ship to Italy?

There are a number of couriers we work with at Parcel2Go which deliver to Italy, with prices starting at £18.05 + VAT (price relates to Parcelforce’s Euro 48 service).

What happens if the recipient is not in when my parcel is delivered?

If the recipient is not at home when the courier tries to deliver your parcel then they will normally leave a calling card giving details of how the recipient can rearrange the delivery for a different date or collect from a local depot. If time passes and no attempts have been made to rearrange the delivery then it will be returned to the sender. It is therefore important to include your return address on the parcel to ensure it is returned to you if there are problems.

Does my parcel need to go by airmail?

At Parcel2Go.com we provide a flexible range of delivery options for our customers. Parcels and larger shipments can be sent via sea freight if you would rather use a most cost-effective method of shipping larger items or items in higher quantities.

Useful Links

Italy Parcel Delivery – Our Italy delivery page has details of all the services that deliver to Italy as well as information about the country itself.

Download Commercial Invoice Form – Download our commercial invoice form which needs to accompany your parcel if it is being sent to Italy from anywhere outside the EU.

eBay Shipping Tool – If you have sold items online at eBay we have a dedicated shipping tool for you to use.

Parcel Volume Calculator – Use our helpful parcel volume calculator to convert measurements and calculate your parcel’s measurements when placing an order with Parcel2Go.

Parcel Tracking – Our parcel tracking page allows you to track your delivery ordered through us with any of the couriers and parcel delivery firms available on the site.

Sea Freight Enquiry – Visit our sea freight page to find out about sending your parcel by sea rather than air.