Italy Legislative Decree No. 70/2003

• April 9, 2003 – Legislative Decree No. 70 enacted.
• April 14, 2003 – Published in the Official Gazette.
• April 29, 2003 – Law entered into force (15 days after publication).

• All providers of information society services (online businesses, e-commerce platforms, digital services).
• Both Italian companies and foreign businesses targeting Italian users.
• Applies across industries and company sizes, including freelancers with a professional online presence.

• Taxation matters.
• Data protection in telecommunications (regulated separately).
• Gambling and lotteries.
• Services by notaries or professions tied to public authority.
• Contracts requiring judicial or public authority intervention.
• Family and succession law.

• Provide clear and accurate general information.
• Identify commercial communications clearly as advertising.
• Respect rules on unsolicited communications (spam must be marked and include opt-out).
• Ensure online contracts follow transparency rules (steps to conclude, correction of errors, contract storage).

Websites must display:

• Business name, legal form, and registered office.
• Contact details, including email.
• Company registration/REA number.
• VAT number (if applicable).
• Supervisory authority details if subject to licensing.
• For regulated professions: professional body, title, rules of conduct.
• Prices and tariffs (including taxes, delivery costs).
• Contractual conditions, especially for licensed or user-license services.

• Commercial offers and promotions must be clearly marked with conditions.
• Mandatory disclosure for contests and promotional games.
• Codes of conduct may be adopted by business and consumer associations.
• Out-of-court dispute resolution encouraged, including electronic ADR systems.

• Right to transparent commercial communication.
• Right to withdraw consent from unsolicited communications.
• Right to receive contract terms, prices, and conditions clearly before purchase.
• Access to alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.

• Oversight by the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy (MiSE) and competent authorities.
• Sanctions: administrative fines between €103 and €10,000, which can escalate under related laws or judicial discretion in severe or repeated cases.