Browse Data and Analysis

This report is intended to supplement the FAS U.S. Mission to the EU's Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) report with Italy-specific information. Italy's FAIRS provides contact information for the competent authorities that are responsible for the import of animal, plant, fish, and food products into the Italian market.

This report is intended to supplement the FAS U.S. Mission to the EU's Food and Agricultural Import Regulations and Standards (FAIRS) Certificate report with Italy-specific information. The U.S. export certification requirements for most products of animal and plant origin destined for the EU and Italy have been harmonized. The few products not yet harmonized are subject to Italian regulations which can be found in this report.

Panama made a policy change regarding Genetically Engineered (GE) plants, seeds and animals in 2022, through the recently approved Legislative Act which establishes the State Agri-food Policy and dictates other provisions.

This report offers information for U.S. companies interested in exporting agri-food products to Italy, including an overview of the country's economic situation, market structure, export requirements, and best product export opportunities.

This report describes production, trade, research, policy, and marketing issues of genetically engineered (GE) plants, animal products, and microbial biotechnology in Italy. Despite Italy’s opposition to GE products, the Italian Minister of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Policies, along with leading farmers’ associations (Coldiretti, Confagricoltura, and Cia), agri-food industry players, and scientists have come forward in favor of innovative biotechnologies, such as genome editing.

This report provides U.S. food and agriculture exporters information on how to do business with the Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional (HRI) sector in Panama. This sector contributes significantly to Panama’s economy and is driven by international tourism.

This report gives an overview of the food service – hotel, restaurant, and institutional sectors in Italy and outlines current market trends, including best product prospects. In 2021, Italy’s consumer food service value sales registered an increase of 23 percent compared to 2020 in spite of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic.

In response to widespread protests and road closures, in recent days, Panama established a series of price ceilings, profit margin controls, and subsidies that affect consumers goods. These include ceiling on the gross profit margin on 11 imported...

This report provides information to U.S. exporters of agricultural and related products on how to do business with the retail food sector in Panama. Despite the many global challenges, the retail industry is facing, including supply issues, increasing prices, consumer behavior is shaping the shopping experience.

This report gives an overview of the Italian food retail and distribution sectors and outlines current market trends, including best product prospects. Italy’s food retail sales reached $167.8 billion in 2021, a 2.9 percent increase compared to 2020 in spite of the lingering COVID-19 pandemic. Increased sales were registered at discount stores (+6.0 percent), hypermarkets (+3.4 percent), supermarkets (+3.3 percent), grocery retailers (+1.2 percent), and convenience stores (+1.2 percent).

Panama recognizes the certificates and standards of the U.S. regulatory and sanitary inspection system, based on the United States – Panama Agreement regarding certain sanitary and phytosanitary measures and technical standards affecting trade in agricultural products, of December 20, 2006, simplifying requirements for the importation of U.S. food and feed products. Panama is accepting the electronic export certificates issued by APHIS and FSIS; and the sanitary and free sale certificates issued by NOAA, FDA and Enterprise Florida, Inc. for food products exported to Panama.

New changes to Panama's import requirements reflected in this report are for fresh potatoes, poultry products, and sanitary registrations for pet food, raw materials, ingredients and additives. Consumers continue to perceive U.S. food products as high quality, wholesome and reliable, which has resulted in continuous growth in demand.