Europe
Italy.
Italy's Codice penale (art. 593) makes failing to assist or alert the authorities about an injured or endangered person a criminal offense. The Codice del Terzo settore (D.Lgs. 117/2017) sets rules and tax incentives for nonprofit and volunteer activity, the Servizio civile universale (D.Lgs. 40/2017) is a state-run national service program, and taxpayers can direct a share of income tax to nonprofits through the 5 per mille.
Is there a legal duty to help a stranger?
YesArticle 593 of the Codice penale ('Omissione di soccorso') punishes anyone who, finding a person who is wounded or otherwise in danger, or a body that is or seems lifeless, fails to give needed assistance or to notify the authorities immediately, with imprisonment up to one year or a fine up to 2,500 euros. The first paragraph covers finding an abandoned or lost child under ten or another person unable to care for themselves; the penalty rises if injury results and is doubled if death results.
Are people who help protected?
LimitedNo statute specific to good-faith rescuers was found in the sources reviewed. Article 54 of the Codice penale ('Stato di necessità') provides that a person is not punishable for an act they were forced to commit by the need to save themselves or others from the present danger of serious harm to a person, if the danger was not voluntarily caused, could not otherwise be avoided, and the act is proportionate.
How the government promotes giving and service
Ways to give and volunteer
Italy has a large Third Sector with a national registry, local volunteer service centers and strong blood and organ donation systems. Many local social services are run by Catholic organizations, so look at how a group is registered rather than its name.
Check a charity before you give
The Ministry of Labor's national registry of Third Sector organizations lets you confirm that a group is registered.
Give your time
Give money, blood or a donation
In an emergency or a crisis
Before you act
- Ask any fundraiser for the group's RUNTS registration or tax code, and be wary of unsolicited requests for cash, especially at traffic stops, outside stores or by text.
- Short volunteering by visitors is usually fine through registered groups, but long placements may need a visa and an insurance arrangement.
This list covers only a few national and well-known channels and does not rank charities or cover every local group. Checked 2026-10-28. Listing an organization is not an endorsement, and none of them has endorsed this site. Some official sites block automatic checks, so a link may need a second try.
One thing worth knowing
The notes to D.Lgs. 40/2017 quote Constitution art. 2, which 'requires the fulfillment of the inderogable duties of political, economic and social solidarity,' and both the Codice del Terzo settore and the civil service decree are framed as implementing constitutional articles.
What this does not mean
Normattiva loads statute text through scripts, so the article text was verified through its article endpoint and, for art. 593, a secondary copy; consolidated text can change. Texts are in Italian and summarized here without an official translation. Article 593 sets a minimum duty and says nothing about rewarding rescuers. This is not legal advice. This is a plain-language summary of public sources, not legal advice, and it does not rank countries. No government named here has endorsed this site. Not reviewed by a lawyer. Statutes were read in public sources and may have changed. Last checked October 26, 2026.