Campione d’Italia

What is Campione d’Italia – Short Summary 

Geographical position and accessibility 

History of the enclave Campione d’Italia 

Advantages of living in Campione d’Italia 

Flat tax with tax domicile in Campione d’Italia 

Why to choose GSC’s services for individual or corporate relocation to Campione d’Italia 

Campione d’Italia (in short – Campione) is an Italian Municipality of the Province Como in Lombardy Region. Occupying an enclave with 2000 inhabitants within Swiss canton of Ticino, Campione is separated from the rest of Italy by Lake Lugano, settlements Bissone and Caprino,  Mount Sighinola on Swiss territory. There is no border control between the enclave Campione and Switzerland. Campione completely enjoys Swiss quality of life with all its preferences: clean and secure natural environment, currency and banks, insurance, education, health care, postal services, telephone and telegraph, vehicle registration, working permits, goods’ markets, etc. Furthermore, thanks to the attractive Italian special tax regime and additional benefits through existing governmental agreements with Switzerland, Campione is in every respect worth of closer attention.

Campione d’Italia is the first destination for wealthy individuals of both working and retirement age who seek for excellent quality of life in safe picturesque location with favourable Mediterannean-like climate and unbeatable lump-sum taxation benefits for all family members. Besides, Campione’s residency allows visa-free access to 168 countries.

Geography

Campione is located on the eastern shore of Lake Lugano. It has an area of 2.6 km² (0.9 km² of land and 1.7 km² of lake); the north-south extent of the area is about 2.45 km. The length of the national border is about 7 km.

Lugano, an attractive neighbour city, can be reached by “Vaporetto” across the lake in 15 minutes. Who prefers it by car, needs, depending on the traffic situation, maximum half an hour.

It takes only half an hour to the regional airfield in Agno in order to reach the feeder flights to international airports by airplane or a private jet.

Malpensa Milano International Airport can be reached in 45 minutes by car or by shuttle bus. The city of Milano is one hour drive away, and the Swiss business metropolis Zurich can now be reached in one and a half hour thanks to the new Gotthard Base Tunnel.

History

First settlements in the area date back to the first century BC, when the Romans founded the garrison town of Campilonum to protect their territories from Helvetii invasion attempts.

The special status of Campione dates back to 777, as the Lombard ruler Toto of Campione bequeathed in his will the area to the monastery of Sant ‘Ambrogio in Milan. It remained in its possession for 1020 years.

The village was considered a part of the Lugano Valley and later even a part of the bailiwick Lugano, subject to the feudal rights of the said monastery. In 1412 and 1477, it enjoyed duty free in relation to Lugano, which was confirmed in 1513 by the Confederates. At the beginning of the 16th century, the inhabitants of Campione fought side by side with the Confederates against the French, who occupied the castle of Lugano. At the time of bailiffs, Campione had to pay a war tax for its 1.5 men to the XII cantons. In 1542 they wanted to exercise high jurisdiction in Campione, but the Spanish governor of Milan opposed this project and the cantons had to recognise the high and low jurisdiction of the Saint Ambrose monastery.

On his arrival in 1797, Napoleon Bonaparte confiscated all the church property and annexed Campione to the newly created Cisalpine Republic, while Ticino was raised by Napoleon from the subject territory of central Switzerland to the equivalent federal canton in 1798.

In fact, when Ticino chose to become a part of the Swiss Confederation in 1798, Campione’s people chose to remain part of Lombardy, which subsequently became part of Italy in 1859.

Lombardy and Campione were in 1861 parts of the Kingdom of Italy. In the same year the Swiss and the Italian Governments revised the border that had already been established with many difficulties by the Treaty of Varese (1752). Previously, the territory of Campione has also covered the opposite coast of San Martino with the part of the post road between Lugano and Melide. Since October 5, 1861 the border runs in the middle of the lake. This was important for the Gotthard railway, which was built a few years later, and was thus located exclusively on Swiss territory up to Chiasso. In return, Campione received free access to the Swiss market.

In 1933, the Italian government modified the name of the municipality to “Campione d’Italia”.

Another important event in the history of the enclave took place in 1917 – a casino was founded in Campione.  Originally, it was planned as a site for gathering information from foreign diplomates during the World War I. The Casino of Campione was owned by the Italian government and operated by the municipality. The income from the casino was sufficient for the operation of Campione without  imposition of taxes or obtaining of other revenue. In 2007 the casino moved into new premises, designed by Swiss architect Mario Botta. It is largest casino in Europe. Campione is sometimes called “small Monte Carlo” referring to its high standard of living and glamor of international elite thanks to the presence of the Casino di Campione.

Advantages of living in Campione d’Italia:

  • Campione is the only EU-territory exercising all the privileges of Switzerland, without any restrictions or customs barriers;
  • Visa-free access throughout Europe (Schengen), Switzerland, Liechtenstein;
  • Advantageous south-east location on the shore of Lake Lugano results in the Mediterranean-like climate comparable with French Riviera;
  • World’s  famous metropoles such as Milan and Zurich can be conveniently reached within short time;
  • High quality of life – a place where your children can grow in a peaceful and protected environment;
  • First-rate school education for your children;
  • Currency in use – Swiss Franc (CHF). All the transactions in Campione d’Italia are generally made in CHF;
  • Telephone service is the Swiss one;
  • Vehicles are registered in Switzerland. Driving licenses for citizens of Campione d’Italia are also Swiss;
  • Health care for citizens is ensured by a mixed system, which allows access to the hospital facilities of Switzerland (Canton Ticino);
  • Insurance is predominantly Swiss;
  • The Post office of Campione d’Italia provides both Italian and Swiss postal services;
  • All the goods imported to Campione d’Italia from Italy are excluded from Italian VAT;
  • Reference market for the acquisition of goods and services is generally Swiss;
  • The residence in Campione gives the opportunity to work in Switzerland;
  • Lump-sum taxation for new tax residents.

Flat tax with tax domicile in Campione d’Italia

  • New tax residents of Campione d’Italia can choose to be subject to a flax-tax regime upon transfer of their tax residence to the enclave;
  • The Campione d’Italia lump-sum taxation is best suited for successful businessmen or ultra-wealthy individuals both of working and retirement age;
  • The candidate must have been resident and taxable outside of Italy for at least 9 of the last 10 fiscal years;
  • The candidate must prove to have a suitable residence in Campione d’Italia (owned or rented) in order to get a settlement permit (just postbox address is not enough);
  • It usually takes short time to get a residence permit in Campione (approximately 1 month);
  • The annual lump -sum fee for the first family’s taxpayer is 100,000 EUR;
    Close family members as well as relatives can also apply for the flat tax and pay only 25,000 EUR annually;
  • The tax is first due in 6 months following the end of the relevant tax period;
  • The candidate with a lump-sum tax is allowed to be economically active;
  • The flat-rate tax does not apply to transactions within Italy, that means that business activities within Italy, except income derived from real estate, are liable to a customary tax;
  • No inheritance tax, that means for all goods outside of Italian territory;
  • No gift tax, that means for all goods outside of Italian territory;
  • The worldwide income and assets are taxed with the lump-sum tax – no need to declare;
  • Unlike foreigners in Switzerland, the residents of Campione are not subject to double taxation agreements like those which Switzerland has with the USA, Canada  or the most of Western European countries.

Services of GSC Consulting and Management AG for your relocation and well-being in the tax haven Campione d’Italia

In order to improve your relocation and well-being in the tax haven Campione d’Italia, GSC, as a service provider, offers services in such fields as Domiciliation in Campione d’Italia; Business support; Improving of the living quality:

  • Application for the flat-tax rate on behalf of and for the client;
  • Application for the residence in Campione d’Italia/Italy on behalf of and for the client;
  • Offering and arranging of the purchase or rent of the correspondent real estate as client’s residence in Campione d’Italia;
  • Introduction of the client to the banks for account opening;
  • Presentation of various real estate and financial investment opportunities in, but not limited to, Campione d’Italia;
  • Development and maintenance of financial models for the investment opportunities, proposing of debt (and equity) structures for the projects;
  • General consultancy on structuring, negotiating, financial closing of the projects;
  • Accompaniment of the investments and execution of the required services that are assigned by additional contracts to the individual investment projects;
  • House moving, import of vehicles and/or other objects, including customs clearance;
  • Insurance arrangements;
  • Arrangements for internet/TV and phone;
  • Arrangements for house staff;
  •  Car and driver service;
  • All kinds of travel requests and cultural events;
  • Communication with state authorities and administrations;
  • Office services/copy center;
  • Translations;
  • Etc.

Our commitment to the clients is to provide prompt individualized attention to save your time and maximize your profit. GSC’s team of experts offers customized solutions and hosts financial services for all your individual and corporate needs.

Contact us for personal consultation: