For many years now, in Italy and throughout the world, the phenomenon of voluntary associations has been gaining increasing popularity and enthusiasm. Organisations can be set up for a wide variety of purposes: solidarity, welfare, social, sporting, and more.
There are many ways of achieving associative aims and the Italian law provides for several alternatives. In addition to the usual instruments provided for by the Civil Code (such as recognised associations, foundations, unrecognised associations, committees), a new figure has been introduced into our legal system, the Third Sector Body, which is replacing all the various figures introduced over time by special laws, at the turn of the century, and which were characterised solely by their non-profit purpose.
With the recent reform of the third sector, if an entity wishes to benefit from the status of Third Sector Body, it will have to be registered in the Single National Register of the Third Sector.