Encouraging professional aggregations: Andersen outlines its research on supporting STPs
Marco Giorgi and Giovanni Cretella, Partner and Senior Advisor at Andersen, respectively, present a study on regulatory and fiscal measures to support professional aggregations at the conference Incentivizing aggregations among professionals: regulatory and fiscal profiles of a possible reform, organized by Fondazione Inarcassa (July 5, 2022, Ergife Palace Hotel, Rome).
Specifically, the research was conducted to examine the reasons that have limited the spread of societies among professionals (STPs), especially in the technical professions. This examination showed that the regulatory framework and tax profiles have not been favorable toward this form of aggregation, along with the introduction of the flat rate regime (ex L. 190 of Dec. 23, 2014).
STPs – introduced into our legal system as a single- or multi-disciplinary company regulated by Ministerial Decree No. 34 of February 8, 2013 – are companies established according to one of the corporate structures permitted by the Italian legal system and whose primary purpose is the performance of one or more professional activities. Multidisciplinary STPs are those where the corporate purpose of the professional society involves the performance of more than one professional activity; we speak of a single-disciplinary STP when the corporate purpose of the company involves the performance of only one activity.
In other words, these are companies that adhere to the business model chosen by the professional members (such as simple partnerships, general partnerships, limited partnerships, SPAs, LLCs, or cooperatives formed by at least three natural person members); what distinguishes these companies is simply the corporate purpose, which allows the performance of one or more professional activities.
The market for design-related services, which is becoming increasingly competitive internationally, requires new and transversal skills, necessitating the retraining and encouragement of STPs, especially from a fiscal point of view. This has fueled a process of disintegration, especially in medium-sized professional association contexts.
These, the issues analyzed and discussed with the moderation of Il Sole 24 Ore journalist Daniela Casciola, also with institutional interlocutors: Senator Francesco Urraro (Senate Justice Committee), Honorable Luigi Marattin (Chairman of the House Finance Committee) and Honorable Antonio Martino (Group Leader in the House Finance Committee).