Under the Civil Code, a certificate is a document attesting the existence of a business, making all its registration records publicly known.

The responsibility of issuing said certificates, upon request, lies with the Chambers of Commerce, which are the Public Administration Bodies dealing with businesses. In the business world, Chambers certificates contribute to the dissemination of certain information and, hence, to the market’s regulated development.

However, certainty of information should not be confused with the truthfulness of information. In fact, sometimes, the certificates issued by the Chambers of Commerce are based on registration information provided by business themselves; information and facts are supposed to be true until proved otherwise. When registration is allowed after investigations are carried out by the Chamber of Commerce, certainty and truthfulness of information coincide, in that there is absolute information truthfulness assumption.

The main certificates issued by the Chamber of Commerce to businesses are: Business profile information (including Certificates of non-involvement in organised crime); Business-related Queries; Qualification-related Certificates; Certificates concerning the Register of Surveyors and Experts, and Certificates concerning the Handicraft Firm Register. Said Certificates are based on standard forms issued by the relevant Ministry, and can be obtained upon payment of secretarial fees by applicants.