Italy's legal tussle with Stellantis over cars flaunting Italian flag
A "war" is ongoing between Italy and itself as the Italian government is battling Italian car brands that have become part of the Stellantis group. According to Italian law, selling a product with the Italian flag is not permitted if it does not originate from an Italian factory. Here lies the problem.
5:44 PM EDT, May 31, 2024
Italy demands greater engagement from Fiat in Italy, and the government is displeased with Stellantis' moving production to other countries. Under local law, no car can bear symbols or names associated with Italy if it is not produced in the country.
Recently, 134 units of the Fiat Topolino were confiscated in Italy. These cars arrived bearing the Italian flag symbol, even though they are produced in Morocco. A minor scandal also erupted over the Alfa Romeo Milano, the latest model from this brand, made in Poland. In this case, the Italian name was against Italian regulations. As a result, this model is now known as the Alfa Romeo Junior.
Fiat 600 and 600e will also undergo changes. These cars feature the Italian flag symbol, yet they are manufactured in Tychy, Poland. Green, white, and red accents appear on the rear bumper.
It's a minor detail, but it's not compliant with the law, and it will need to be removed. Theoretically, it would suffice not to place these symbols on cars exported only to the Italian market, but Stellantis may abandon this decoration altogether to avoid producing two different bumpers.
