April 7, 2026 marks a turning point in the Italian production system: from this date the terms “craftsmanship” and “artisanal” can be used exclusively by companies registered in the Register of Artisans. Anyone who uses these definitions inappropriately will be harshly sanctioned.
The measure, introduced with the new annual law on SMEs and strongly supported by Confartigianato, puts an end to a decades-long gray area in which the reference to the craftsmanship of products was sometimes used as a decoy.
What does the new law on crafts provide?
The legislation on craftsmanship is stringent: the term “artisanal” with all its declinations can only be used by recognized artisan businesses.
And the ban concerns signs, brands, advertising and commercial communication. Subjects who physically produce goods in an artisanal manner but who are not registered in the Register will also be sanctioned.
Anyone who violates the new provisions risks extremely heavy fines: up to 1% of turnover, with a minimum threshold of 25,000 euros for each infringement.
End of ambiguity on the craft market
For years, the absence of precise rules has generated significant competitive distortion. Products defined as “artisanal” without being so have altered the market, penalizing authentic companies.
With the new law only those with artisan qualifications can use this denomination.
This is the comment of the President of Confartigianato, Marco Granelli:
End of unfair competition: the authentic excellence of Made in Italy craftsmanship wins. This rule finally recognizes the authentic value of artisan products and protects consumers who from 7 April will have the legal certainty that what they purchase as “artisan” is actually the result of the work, ingenuity and passion of our entrepreneurs.
Cna (National Confederation of Crafts and Small and Medium Enterprises) also defined the provision as a “regulatory revolution”, underlining how the value of qualified manual labor is finally recognised.
The sectors most involved
The impact will be transversal and will concern key sectors of the Italian economy:
- agri-food (ice cream parlors, bakeries, catering);
- fashion and textiles;
- furniture and design;
- artistic and traditional craftsmanship.
A concrete example: a bar that promotes “artisanal” ice cream but is not registered in the Register will no longer be able to use this definition, even if it produces internally.
Strict against unfair competition
The rationale of the rule is twofold: to protect consumers from misleading communications and to guarantee fairer competition conditions.
The law does not limit itself to introducing bans. It also provides for a delegation to the Government to completely reform the legislation on crafts by 7 January 2027.
Among the points on the table:
- updating of company size limits;
- recognition of new professions;
- bureaucratic simplification;
- greater regulatory uniformity between regions.
What changes for consumers
For citizens, from 7 April purchasing an “artisanal” product will mean having a legal guarantee on its origin.
The state of craftsmanship in Italy
Despite a difficult decade which saw the closure of around 128,000 companies, Italian craftsmanship closed 2025 in the name of resistance. With 1.23 million active businesses, the sector shows encouraging stability, marked by a positive balance between openings and closures of 187 units.
On the one hand, company mortality is decreasing compared to the past, but on the other hand there are well-founded concerns about generational turnover.
At a territorial level, the North East and the South drive growth, while the Center records a slight decline.
