It is law

Ddl Pmi, final approval by the Senate: there is a crackdown on fake online reviews

Satisfaction from the Ministers of Enterprise and Tourism, Adolfo Urso and Daniela Santanchè

by Rome Editorial Staff

5 March 2026

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Key points

Urso: "Result expected for ten years"
Craft reform after 40 years
Rules for online reviews
Santanchè: "Significant stance against unfair practices"
From fashion to historical brands: the other sizes

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

Fashion, handicrafts and the hotel industry. These are the three sectors mainly addressed by the Small and Medium Enterprises Bill, which was definitively approved in the Senate and thus became law.

Urso: "Result expected for ten years"

"A result that has been awaited for well over ten years, which today finally becomes reality,' commented Industry Minister Adolfo Urso. 'We are implementing Article 18 of Law 180 of 2011, concretely strengthening support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and craftsmanship, the heart of our Made in Italy, with measures for growth, innovation and credit. It is an organic intervention that puts SMEs back at the centre and strengthens their competitiveness and growth.

Craft reform after 40 years

The first point delegates the government to rationalise, reorganise and update the law on handicrafts. The reference legislation for the sector dates back to 1985. Pending the delegation, however, a regulation is approved that strengthens protections, also increasing penalties, for cases of improper use of the reference to craftsmanship in advertising. The aim of the measure is to eliminate the abuses of those who improperly promote and market products by referring to craftsmanship when they are not enrolled in the specific register and do not directly manufacture the products placed on sale.

The rules for online reviews

Then there is the discipline concerning the fight against false reviews. Only those issued no later than thirty days from the date of use of the product or use of the service by a person who has actually and personally used the services or benefits will be lawful; it responds to the type of product used or the characteristics of the facility offering it. It is not the result of the giving or promising of discounts, benefits or other utilities by the provider or his intermediaries. On the other hand, a review is unlawful when it does not come from a natural person who has actually used the product.

Furthermore, the review is presumed to be authentic if accompanied by the appropriate tax documentation. Whereas it is no longer lawful two years after its publication. The legal representative of the reviewed facility can report reviews that do not meet these requirements of lawfulness. The regulatory text prohibits the purchase and sale, for any reason whatsoever, including between entrepreneurs and intermediaries, of online reviews, appreciations or interactions. The Competition and Market Authority, in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism, among others, adopts special guidelines to guide businesses in adopting suitable measures to ensure compliance with the requirements of lawfulness of online reviews, also by carrying out annual monitoring and reporting to the Chambers. Finally, the Associations representing tourism enterprises may request recognition of the status of trustworthy reviewer.

Santanchè: 'Significant stance against unfair practices'

"The approval of the regulation on false reviews," said Daniela Santanchè, Minister of Tourism, "marks the achievement of a historic milestone to protect businesses and consumers. The new law, strongly desired by the Ministry of Tourism, is a significant stance against those unfair practices that damage the entrepreneurial and economic fabric, undermining the reputation of companies and deceiving tourists. We are proud to be the pioneers, in Europe, on a highly topical issue on which it was necessary and right to intervene to ensure transparency, fairness and legality in the market".

From fashion to historical brands: the other measures

There are other measures. In order to support the fashion sector, up to 100 million euros are earmarked for financing 'mini development contracts'. To encourage the generational change in micro and small enterprises with a workforce of less than 50 employees, the measure introduces a two-year experiment that allows for the indefinite hiring of workers under 35 to replace staff about to retire, with a contribution waiver of up to EUR 3,000 for part-time incentives. The extension of the Fund for the Safeguarding of Employment Levels is also envisaged to the takeovers, by companies that own historic brands, of other companies in the sector that are in difficulty.

The measures for medium-sized urban centres continue, with the intervention on the rule that guarantees a 7% Irpef tax (for 10 years) for pensioners who move their residence to certain municipalities below 20,000 inhabitants. The threshold is raised from 20,000 to 30,000 inhabitants, making the measure more attractive in favour of medium-sized urban centres. Provision is made for a delegation to the government to carry out a comprehensive reform of the confidi, sector more than 20 years after the law was enacted. The aim is to adapt the regulations to the profound changes in the reference markets, which have led to the expansion of public guarantees and reduced the scope for intervention by credit consortia. The measure reintroduces a tax relief scheme for profits invested in business networks with a three-year budget of EUR 45 million. A facility, valid until the 2028 tax period, for companies participating in formalised networks, which allows tax to be suspended on profits if reinvested in joint development programmes for competitiveness and innovation. The exemption can be applied up to a limit of EUR 1 million per year.

On the credit front, access to bank financing has been improved by introducing the possibility of securitising warehouse stock, including receivables from the future sale of goods produced, thus enhancing the liquidity of companies and facilitating their growth. Organisational innovations include the creation of consortium centres, mutualistic bodies under ministerial supervision, which will coordinate the aggregations of micro and small enterprises already united in supply chain consortia, establishing minimum membership conditions and territorial reference areas, to favour synergies and economic scale. A delegation of powers to the government will make it possible to regulate their operation and supervision. As a simplification measure, the exemption from compulsory insurance has been extended to forklifts and other vehicles used by companies in railway, port and airport areas that are not accessible to the public, provided they are covered by specific insurance policies, reducing insurance costs and burdens for companies. The measure also contains simplified models for SMEs on health, worker training and agile work. The measure defines food distribution operators active in the Horeca sector and determines the minimum percentage of revenues to qualify.