Italy
Who the fishing gear rules cover in Italy
Fishing Gear EPR in Italy rests on D.Lgs. 196/2021, which brought the EU single-use plastics rules into Italian law, with the fishing-gear duties detailed by D.M. 354/2023. The producer-financing duty for plastic-containing gear applied from 31 December 2024.
The obligation reaches whoever places plastic-containing fishing gear on the Italian market:
- Makers of nets, ropes, traps, lines and floats that contain plastic.
- Importers bringing that gear in for Italian sale.
- Anyone who first places such gear on the market here.
What the duty asks of producers in Italy
At its core the duty is to finance the collection and treatment of waste fishing gear delivered to port reception facilities, plus awareness measures. That cost-coverage mechanism is set by D.M. 354/2023.
The practical machinery is thinner than the law. No dedicated fishing-gear producer register or portal has been confirmed on official sources, and the reporting cadence and fee amounts are not published.
So treat the cost as a producer-financing contribution rather than a fixed rate, and expect to work through a collective system.
What is settled and what is pending in Italy
Settled: the legal duty exists and its start date has passed. Pending: how producers actually register, report and pay is still materialising, which makes this a partial stream in practice, not just on paper.
Because the operational details are not yet confirmed on official sources, check the current position with a collective scheme before you rely on any single process.
Through EPR in Italy fishing gear sits alongside single-use plastics under the same D.Lgs. 196/2021 framework, and enforcement of both runs through MASE under the decree's penalty provisions.
Frequently asked questions about fishing gear EPR in Italy
The points gear producers raise most often about the Italian rules.
Who has to register for fishing gear EPR in Italy?
The financing duty falls on whoever places plastic-containing fishing gear on the Italian market, from makers of nets and ropes to importers. No dedicated fishing-gear producer register has been confirmed, so in practice producers work through a collective system.
How much does fishing gear EPR cost in Italy?
Producers must finance the collection and treatment of waste gear delivered to port reception facilities, under D.M. 354/2023. Italy has not published fee amounts or a fixed rate, so treat it as a producer-financing contribution set by the scheme you join.
What happens if I sell without registering?
D.Lgs. 196/2021 carries penalty provisions (articles 13 and 14) for non-compliance with single-use plastics duties, including fishing gear, enforced by MASE. Because the operational system is still forming, the safest step is to line up a compliant route early.
Can I handle Italy fishing gear EPR from abroad?
The duty attaches to whoever places plastic-containing gear on the Italian market, so a foreign seller usually meets it through the Italian importer or a collective system. No formal registration-based authorised representative route has been confirmed for this stream.
