An ateco code for prostitutes, escort agencies and sexual services. Istat: only for legal activities

A ATECO CODE For « accompanying and escort activities (escorts) », but also for « supply or organization of sexual services, organization of prostitution or management events of prostitution ». Is the 96.99.92 And it is the one to report when an economic activity of this kind is started, which is part of the « services for the NCA person (not classified elsewhere, editor’s note) ». It is the New ATECO 2025 classification Used to identify the economic activities developed by Istat, in force from January 1st but operational since April 1st and which updates that of 2022.

« Meeting services »

And in the renovation that includes new groups and new classes (but also some elimination), prostitution is surprised (in itself not prohibited in Italy) in the « meeting services and similar events ». But in the same group they come Also including the organization of prostitution events or the management of prostitution premises, activities that Italian law prohibits and pursues With the crimes, among other things, of induction, aiding and exploitation and penalties up to 8 years of imprisonment. « A scandalous short circuit which probably arises from an exaggerated desire for modernity and which instead – he explains Alberto Arrigoni, expert in tax regulations and accountant of Milan – Coding a serious crime such as the exploitation of prostitution in an official act such as the classification of Istat, is as if the protector was institutionalized ».

Istat: in Italy only for legal activities such as marriage agencies

But Istat explains that the new classification implies the European one, the Nace Rev. 2.1 introduced in 2023, with the code 96.99 (« other service activities for the NCA person ») which also reports activities such as « Social Activities, Provision or Arrangement of Sexual Services, Organization of Prostitution Events or Operation of Prostitution Establishments». In some European countries, prostitution and its management is a legal economic activity. Therefore, the institute specifies, the classification defined at the Community level « can include in addition to legal activities but also the non -legal ones, in order to guarantee the exhaustiveness of the classification and the full comparability of the data between EU countries, regardless of their regulatory regime ».
Despite this, it is explained, In Italy, the new Ateco 2025 « will only concern resident economic operators who carry out legal activities, as in the case of code 96.99.92 in which they fall, for example marriage and speed dating agencies ». And in any case, the estimate of illegal activities, « will be carried out by Istat exclusively in the context of national accounts using indirect estimate methods ».

Parliamentary questions

But in the meantime the case bursts. With Five Stars and Forza Italia announcing parliamentary questions about the matter, AVS accuses: « The right also collects prostitution, Tina Merlin is turning into the tomb », says the group leader in the Chamber Luana Zanella. And Codacons recalls that the paid sex sector produces a submerged business estimated from 4.7 billion euros every year.

The novelty of the influencers

In the new classification, some economic activities have also been eliminated such as the rental of videotapes and records. But the Ateco 2025 inserts influencers for the first time: Ateco code 73.11.03. So far they used codes 73.11.01 – Ideation of advertising campaigns – and 73.11.02 – Conduction of marketing campaigns and other advertising services. Since April 1, « Influencer Marketing » has obtained official recognition.