Radiometric Inspection Charge for Italy

Italy has introduced stricter radiometric checks on imported metal goods, and many Advent products fall under the affected HS codes. Please review the details below so you can plan your order with full clarity.

What is radiometric monitoring?
Radiometric monitoring is the process used to detect any radioactive irregularities in scrap, semi-finished, or finished metal materials. Inspections are carried out using highly sensitive instruments placed near the external walls of a container. These instruments use a sodium iodide scintillator probe, which can identify very small levels of radioactive activity.

Regulation change
On 1 July 2022, Italy introduced new radiometric surveillance requirements for imported metal materials. These rules follow the EU Council Directive 2013/59/EURATOM, which sets safety standards for protection against ionising radiation.

Certain finished and semi-finished metal goods now require specialist checks carried out by an authorised external body. A radiometric inspection certificate must be issued before an import customs declaration can be completed. Certificates may be issued in non-EU countries, but only where a mutual recognition agreement exists. 
At present, the only recognised country is Switzerland.

What this means for Advent customers shipping to Italy

These rules apply to all importers of the listed metal products and scrap materials entering Italy. Every shipment must be inspected.

When a shipment arrives, the carrier will contact the recipient and provide details of an approved inspection supplier. The recipient can:

1. accept the proposed inspection provider and pay the inspection fee directly, or
2. decline the inspection, in which case the shipment will be returned to Advent. Shipping and return costs are not refundable.

Inspections can be carried out at various locations across Italy. The standard fee at time of writing (11/25) is EUR 200 per shipment, payable by the importer to the inspection company.

DHL may invoice directly for this charge. 

To help manage costs, we recommend consolidating affected items into a single shipment wherever possible.

You can view the full list of items and HS codes covered by the regulation here

If you would like to confirm the commodity code for any item before placing an order, please contact us and we will provide this information.