Prostitution and escorts have the Ateco code: the new Istat classification that certifies « sexual services »

Prostitution and escort activities also have their own ateco code. This is what results from the new ATECO classification 2025 developed by Istat, in force since January and which began to be used from 1 April 2025. To Division 96, which – Istat explained in the press release on the new codes released in December – « was completely renovated by providing for new groups and new classes », appears the Code 96.99.92 relating to the « meeting services and similar events », which includes: «activities related to social life, ad Example of accompanying and escort activities (escort)meeting agencies and marriage agencies; supply or organization of sexual servicesorganization of Prostitution or management events of prostitution premises; Organization of meetings and other Speed ​​Networking activities ».
The Ateco Code is a classification system used to uniquely identify the economic activities of companies and freelancers.

Prostitution is not illegal

The prostitution activity is not illegal in Italy, as long as it is voluntarily carried out by an adult person and capable of understanding and wanting. Crime instead are the exploitation and aiding and abetting these activities. As the Codaconsthe paid sex sector produces a submerged turnover estimated at 4.7 billion euros per year in Italy. The National Statistics Institute explained that it has implemented the code 96.99 from the European Statistical Classification of Economic Activities « other activities of NCA person service ». The description of this code defined at European level reports, among others, also the activities of « Provision or arrangement of sexual services, Organization of prostitution events or operations of prostitution establishments». The same activities, in reality, « were already included in the previous European classification as part of the code 96.09, in force from 2008 to 2024, although not in a way as explicitly as in the update », explains Istat, which specifies « that the statistical classification of economic activities defined at the Community level may include in addition to legal activities, even non -legal activities, In order to guarantee the exhaustiveness of the classification and the full comparability of data between EU countriesregardless of their regulatory regime « .

Clarification

Istat then clarifies that « the implementation of the Ateco 2025 classification at national level will only concern resident economic operators who carry out legal activities, as in the case of code 96.99.92 in which the following activities are included: marriage and speed dating agencies. The estimate of illegal activities, requested in the context of the national and regional accounts of the European Union (SEC), will be carried out by Istat exclusively in the context of national accounts using indirect estimate methods « .

M5S immediately in controversy with Istat

« It would be serious that the tax authorities involved the organization of sexual services in the new athec codes. Because it is true that prostitution in Italy is not illegal, but all the activities of aiding, exploitation and induction are activities. Exactly what goes to regularize, from a fiscal point of view, the new classification « , declares the senator in a note Alessandra Maiorinodeputy chipogruppo M5s in the Senate. Senator announced a question to Minister Urso. «How is it possible that you go so clearly in contrast to the existing laws? Who decided it? », Maiorino wonders.

Codacons: «Prostitution codes? « A short tax circuit »

The new Ateco 2025 classification developed by Istat which provides for a special code also for prostitution and escort activities risks being in contrast with Italian legislation. Codacons says so through its president’s mouth Carlo Rienziwhich considers the « particularly spiny question ». If prostitution does not constitute a crime when carried out autonomously and on a voluntary basis, « and consequently it appears correct to subject the proceeds of this activity to taxation, as more Retained by the Cassation in 2011», The new ATECO Code of Istat, however, » being also extended to « Organization of sexual services », « organization of events » and « management of prostitution premises », is in marked contrast to the Italian law which, if on the one hand it does not prohibit prostitution, on the other provides for the crime of exploitation of prostitution, also intended as participation in the proceeds of the prostitution activity (Cassation of 2018), punished with an imprisonment from four to eight to eight years to eight years and Fine from 5 thousand to 25 thousand euros ». « We are faced with a short tax circuit, with Istat that regulates all the activities related to prostitution, and the laws in force that prohibit the same activities », concludes Rienzi.