Investment Policy Monitor
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
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UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
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- Italy - Expands the scope and application of the FDI screening regime
Italy
Expands the scope and application of the FDI screening regime
22 Mar 2022On 21 March 2022, the Italian Government enacted Law-Decree No. 21/2022, which made significant revisions to the FDI screening regime. Among the main ones: - The emergency measures adopted in response to the COVID-19 outbreak and set to terminate by the end of 2022, became a permanent part of the FDI screening regime in Italy. Thus, the Government is given the power to review acquisitions by investors from the European Economic Area (EEA) of a controlling interest in Italian assets in the communications, energy, transportation, health, agri-food and financial (including credit and insurance) sectors; as well as acquisitions by non-EEA investors of a non-controlling interest in a company active in any strategic sector (above 10% of the share in capital for investments equal to or more than € 1 million; or above 15%, 20%, 25%, and 15% thresholds); - The transactions falling under the FDI screening regime now include procurement of services and assets related to 5G networks and cloud services, and additional strategic assets and technologies in connection with cyber-security; - The regime of prior government notification was expanded to all transactions that may affect the ownership, control and availability of strategic assets and the creation of securities over assets in the field of defence and national security.
Nature of measure:
- Entry restriction
Type:
- Entry and establishment (Approval and admission - screening)
Industry:
- Not industry specific
- Primary (Agriculture, forestry and fishing)
- Services (Electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, Transportation and storage, Telecommunications, Computer programming, consultancy and related activities, Financial and insurance activities, Human health activities)
Inward FDI:
NoOutward FDI:
NoSources:
- Normattiva - official legal database, DECRETO-LEGGE 21 marzo 2022, n. 21, https://www.normattiva.it/atto/caricaDettaglioAtto?atto.dataPubblicazioneGazzetta=2022-03-21&atto.codiceRedazionale=22G00032&atto.articolo.numero=0&atto.articolo.sottoArticolo=1&atto.articolo.sottoArticolo1=10&qId=e75bd720-2f7c-48c1-b9cf-bba4767638ed&tabID=0.5951720554060962&title=lbl.dettaglioAtto, 23 Mar 2022
- JDSupra, Foreign direct investments in Italy: the revised golden power regime, https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/foreign-direct-investments-in-italy-the-6073239/?origin=CEG&utm_source=CEG&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CustomEmailDigest&utm_term=jds-article&utm_content=article-link, 25 Mar 2022
- Lexology, Italy further strengthens its "golden powers" on FDI, 5G and cloud tech due to the Ukrainian crisis, https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=1eedd1eb-1389-4a9c-bdf3-a4e0a96e030d, 22 Mar 2022
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The Investment Policy Monitor provides the international investment community with up-to-date, country-specific information on recent policy developments affecting foreign direct investment (FDI).
Through its ongoing monitoring of investment policy changes, UNCTAD delivers cutting-edge and forward-looking contributions to investment policy discourse. The Monitor also supports evidence-based policymaking aimed at ensuring that foreign investment contributes to sustainable development. The Monitor also informs the analysis of global and regional investment policy trends featured in the World Investment Report, the Investment Policy Monitor publications and the joint UNCTAD-OECD Reports on G20 Investment Measures.
UNCTAD has tracked changes in national policies affecting FDI on an annual basis since 1992. Over time, the methodology has been revised to enhance the quality and consistency of reporting. The most recent revision, completed in 2024, further refined the monitoring framework and applied the updated classification to policy measures dating back to 2012.
-
UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor The UNCTAD Investment Policy Monitor database compiles official measures affecting FDI adopted by United Nations Member States. These encompass measures explicitly targeting foreign investment (FDI-specific), as well as general investment measures that have a clear impact on such investment (FDI-related).
The measures are either reported directly to UNCTAD by Member States through annual surveys or identified by UNCTAD researchers through publicly accessible sources (such as government websites and specialized policy databases).
The classification of measures as more or less favourable to investors is based solely on their potential impact on investors. The type of measures included in each category are described below. This classification does not reflect any value judgement by UNCTAD on the merit or suitability of the measure.
Classification of the nature of measures
More favourable to investors
Liberalization: includes privatization; lifting of entry restrictions (e.g. opening of sectors to FDI) and entry conditions (e.g. minimum capital requirement); removal (total or partial) of FDI screening or approval mechanisms; lifting of foreign exchange restrictions; liberalization of land access.
Facilitation: includes streamlining of investment procedures (e.g. one-stop shops); greater transparency of investment-related laws and procedures (e.g. information portals); introduction by IPAs and other entities of new services to assist investors (e.g. linkages programmes, investor visa facilitation or alternative dispute resolution mechanisms).
Promotion: includes establishment of IPAs or other institutions with a remit as investment promoters and expansion of their mandate; adoption of investment promotion strategy and plans; introduction of PPPs, auctions, and concessions initiatives or framework; introduction of OFDI promotion initiatives.
Incentives: includes adoption of new tax and financial incentives schemes for investment; introduction of other incentives (e.g. citizenship by investment programmes); adoption of new SEZ-related incentives.
Other regulatory changes: includes enhancement of investor treatment and protection guarantees; easing of labour or migration regulations concerning foreign hires and key personnel; removal of operational restrictions on investment (e.g. local content requirements).
Less favourable to investors
Entry: includes introduction or tightening of entry restrictions (e.g. total or partial ban on FDI in specific sectors); introduction or tightening of entry conditions (e.g. minimum investment threshold, joint venture requirements or State participation in strategic sectors); introduction or expansion of screening mechanisms for national security.
Treatment and operation: includes introduction or expansion of foreign exchange restrictions; introduction or expansion of restrictions on foreign hires and key personnel; removal or reduction of investment incentives; introduction or expansion of post-establishment requirements for local content; reduction of guarantees for investment treatment and protection; introduction or expansion of restrictions on OFDI.
Note: Measures are verified, to the fullest extent possible, by referencing government sources. The compilation of measures is not exhaustive.
Disclaimer: the boundaries and names shown and the designations used on this map do not imply official endorsement or acceptance by the United Nations.
Share





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