Alcohol regulations in Holy See (Vatican City State)

Licences needed

none

Who can import

State administration (Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano - Direzione dell'Economia) and accredited diplomatic corps. Private commercial importers cannot operate.

Licences or registrations

Supplier registration on the Holy See public procurement portal (Bandi Pubblici Santa Sede / Albo Fornitori del Governatorato) for entities contracted to supply state outlets.

Authority

Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (Direzione dell'Economia)

Documents

Supplier qualification documents, commercial invoices, transport declarations, and certificates of origin.

Fees

Governed by administrative fee tariffs for registry inclusion where applicable.

Time to obtain

not confirmed

Required

no

Process

No Vatican-specific brand or label registration mechanism exists. Procured goods must meet Italian and European Union technical and safety specifications.

Authority

Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano

Under Article 20 of the Lateran Treaty of 1929, goods entering Vatican City through Italian territory are exempt from all customs duties and taxes. Imports arrive under customs transit/diplomatic relief documentation (e.g., T1 or certificate of duty-free transit) directly consigned to Vatican administrative bodies.

0% (Exempt from EU/Italian customs duties under the 1929 Lateran Treaty regime).

0% excise duty and 0% VAT (purchases at the Vatican Annona supermarket and official shops are exempt from Italian excise duty and 22% VAT, sold duty-free to authorized cardholders with an internal administrative markup).

State-controlled institutional monopoly. Retail alcohol sales are confined to state-managed outlets, notably the Annona supermarket (Magazzino Annonario) and the duty-free shop at the Vatican railway station. Access is strictly limited to authorized badge holders (Vatican citizens, residents, Curia/Governatorato employees, and accredited diplomats). No private bars or commercial off-licences operate.

banned

No independent Vatican labelling rules exist. Marketed goods carry standard Italian/EU food labelling (EU Regulation 2019/787 for spirits, indicating ABV, net quantity, producer details, and allergens in Italian). No Vatican excise strips or fiscal stamps are required.

Banned in practice; commercial product advertising, billboards, and marketing for alcoholic beverages do not exist within Vatican territory, and Vatican media channels do not carry commercial liquor promotions.

None defined in Vatican statutory law; EU standards of identity (Regulation (EU) 2019/787) apply indirectly via Italian supplementary law under Law No. LXXI of 2008 on the Sources of Law.

None designated by law; open commercial sales and public drinking spaces are absent by virtue of state territorial and security restrictions.

• Implementation of updated Governatorato administrative fee schedules effective January 1, 2026, encompassing registry fees and customs duty-free introduction handling for goods under the Lateran Treaty regime.
• Infrastructure upgrades and operational reorganization of the Annona duty-free retail facility during 2025–2026.

Opportunities are limited to securing selective supply contracts with the Vatican Governatorato for shelf placement in the Annona supermarket and official diplomatic receptions. The market heavily favors well-established Italian wines and international premium spirits brands.

• Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano - Direzione dell'Economia
• Bandi Pubblici Santa Sede (Procurement Portal)

1. Trattato tra la Santa Sede e l'Italia (Lateran Treaty 1929), Art. 20
2. Legge sulle fonti del diritto, N. LXXI (1 ottobre 2008)
3. Legge sulle tariffe e diritti del Governatorato dello Stato della Città del Vaticano (in vigore dal 1° gennaio 2026)
4. The Drinks Business - The Vatican Wine Market and Annona Operations