The Italian government has approved a new law aimed at simplifying health and safety measures for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The 2025 Annual SMEs Bill agreed on at the Council of Ministers meeting, on January 14th, includes several measures for simplifying health and safety at workplaces.
The new bill introduces measures that aim to address the major operational challenges faced by these types of companies, relating particularly to administrative burdens, challenges accessing subsidized financing and bank credit, and strengthening competitiveness.
Specifically, concerning working aspects, the bill determines that INAIL (the National Institute for Insurance against Accidents at Work) should develop simplified models of health and safety organization and management at the workplace, which are consistent with the smaller size of SMEs and reinforces their safety levels.
Furthermore, the bill modifies the Legislative Decree n. 81/2008 concerning health and safety at the workplace, establishing that for work performed through remote arrangements in environments that are not legally available to the employer, the fulfilment of safety obligations is ensured through the delivery of a written document to the worker and the workers’ safety representative. This document must identify the general and specific risks of the work conditions. If the employer fails to fulfill this obligation, they could be penalized with a 2 to 4 months imprisonment or a fine ranging from 1,200 to 5,200 euros.
