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Italian Senate passes delegation to overhaul 15 professional orders
The Italian Senate approved a delegation law that authorises the government to rewrite the statutes of fifteen regulated professions, including engineers, architects, journalists, agronomists, social workers and labour consultants. The vote was recorded in two stages: an initial reading recorded 81 votes in favour, no votes against and 50 abstentions, and a final approval recorded 114 votes in favour, no votes against and 19 abstentions. The law, published in the Official Gazette on 1 August 2026, entered into force on 16 August 2026 and gives the government six months to issue implementing decrees.
The reform will affect roughly 699 177 registered professionals. It shortens the liability period for private clients to five years (while retaining a ten‑year window for public administrations), introduces paid internships, mandates continuous digital‑competence training and requires compensation parameters to be updated every two years. Professional societies must have at least two‑thirds of their capital and voting rights owned by professionals, and new collective forms such as networks of lawyers are recognised. The next step is parliamentary approval in the Chamber of Deputies, after which the government will draft the detailed decrees.
Entities
Barbara Rosina · Chamber of Deputies · Government of Italy · Italian Government · Italian Senate · Italian professional orders · Law No. 137/2026 · ProfessionItaliane · Professional Orders · Rosario De Luca · Senate of the Republic (Italy)
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [DISPUTED] The vote count was 114 in favour, 19 abstentions and zero against. www.centrostudilivatino.it · www.partitaiva.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The delegation law had previously been approved by the Chamber of Deputies before Senate approval. www.centrostudilivatino.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] The reform allows lawyers to form professional associations, networks, societies and to hold managerial roles in commercial companies. www.centrostudilivatino.it · www.lospecialegiornale.it
- [● 2 SOURCES] The delegation gives the government six months to issue legislative decrees to reform the legal profession. www.centrostudilivatino.it · www.partitaiva.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The reform aims to ensure the independence of lawyers and their role in upholding the rule of law. www.centrostudilivatino.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The Italian Senate approved a delegation for the reform of the forensic order on 22 July 2026. www.centrostudilivatino.it
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Marco Giustiniani said the market of legal services has profoundly changed and the law reflects a new vision of the profession. www.lospecialegiornale.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] The reform will define reserved activities for lawyers, restore the lawyer oath, and set compensation parameters every two years. www.centrostudilivatino.it · www.partitaiva.it · www.vivereascoli.it
- [DISPUTED] The Senate vote recorded 81 votes in favour, no votes against and 50 abstentions. www.giornalistitalia.it · www.reteconomy.it
- [● 12 SOURCES] The Italian Senate approved a delegation law to reform fifteen professional orders. www.centrostudilivatino.it · cnoas.org · www.giornalistitalia.it · www.metropolitano.it · www.partitaiva.it · +7 more
- [● 3 SOURCES] The reform will affect about 699,177 registered professionals. www.vivereascoli.it · www.viverefermo.it · www.viveresanbenedetto.it
- [● 3 SOURCES] Liability period for private clients is reduced to five years. www.vivereascoli.it · www.viverefermo.it · www.viveresanbenedetto.it