Mutual agreements between States for investments protection. Suggested: Can a foreigner, i.e. a non-EU citizen, lawfully carry out business, commercial or trading activities in Italy? The answer is yes, it is worth however specifying that in terms of international private law, an investment is any activity involving the stipulation of an international agreement that produces obligations between the parties. The point is that in order to be valid, international contractual obligations must comply with the principle of reciprocity, that is to say as a general principle, the obligation made in Italy must respect the case law of the foreign country the obligee is a citizen of, and vice versa. By way of example, a citizen with nationality of Cameroon will only be able to purchase a property in Italy if the same purchase is allowed to an Italian citizen in Cameroon.
In international private law, the proof of reciprocity is a condition of effectiveness of the obligation contracted by the foreigner, vice versa for the Italian in the foreign country.
Among the most common investments that a non-EU citizen can realize in Italy and vice versa are:
- property rights over property, objects and other real rights;
- monetary credits and other services for consideration arising from contracts;
- acquisition of existing companies or shares;
- establishment of new businesses and companies;
- copyright and industrial property rights;
- legal concessions such as those for exploration, extraction and exploitation of natural resources.
To make the regulatory framework as transparent as possible, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has published the ATRIO system, i.e. the online Archive of International Treaties edited by the Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Litigation and Treaties Service with the aim of making information in force in Italy easily accessible and mutually recognized by each foreign country.
Sistema ATRIO: http://atrio.esteri.it/Default.aspx
Updates:
https://edit.wti.org/document/show/84f4dfd5-c7f6-4182-b23b-30dbade935c4
Interim agreement in view of a partnership agreement between the European Community and its member States on one side, and central Africa on the other, including Camerun.
