Campione d'Italia (; ) is a (municipality) of the Province of Como in the Italian region of Lombardy. Located on the shores of Lake Lugano, it is an enclave surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino. At its closest, the enclave is less than from the rest of Italy, but the intervening mountainous terrain requires a journey by road through the Swiss village of Bissone of over to reach the nearest Italian town, Lanzo d'Intelvi, and over to reach the city of Como. The comune's population was 1,748 in 2021.

History

In the first century BC, the Romans founded the garrison town of Campilonum to protect their territories from Helvetii invasions.

In 777, Toto of Campione, a local Lombard lord, left his inheritance to the archbishopric of Milan. Ownership was transferred to the abbey of Sant’Ambrogio. In 1512, the surrounding area of Ticino was transferred from the ownership of the bishop of Como to Switzerland by Pope Julius II, as thanks for the support in the War of the Holy League. However, the abbey maintained control over what is now Campione d'Italia and some territory on the western bank of Lake Lugano. In 1800, Ticino proposed exchanging Indemini for Campione. In 1814 a referendum was held, and the residents of Campione opposed it. In 1848, during the First Italian War of Independence, Campione petitioned Switzerland for annexation. This was rejected due to the Swiss desire for neutrality.

Demography

The population of the enclave according to the Italian census was:

Economy and administration

thumb|left|Piazza Indipendenza, border between Campione and Bissone, Switzerland

thumb|left|Detailed map of Campione d'Italia, neighbouring Swiss centres and the next nearest Italian territory

Campione has had a considerable amount of economic and administrative integration with Switzerland, but against the wishes of its residents, it formally became part of the EU customs territory on 1 January 2020. VAT will apply, but the tax rate will remain that of Switzerland (much lower than that of Italy). A border crossing will be established.

Prior to that time, it was de facto in the customs territory of Switzerland, meaning most of the public services were carried out by Swiss providers, such as refuse collection, telecommunications, and vehicle registration. The enclave enjoyed considerable tax breaks and was exempt from VAT. Campione d'Italia was one of four Italian cities issued a casino licence and took advantage of this by operating the Casinò di Campione, as gambling laws are less strict than in either Italy or Switzerland; also a legacy of the pre-World War II era. Although (as part of Italy) the euro is formally the only legal tender, in practice the main operating currency in the commune has been the Swiss franc, but euros are widely accepted. People working in Campione but living in Switzerland have access to Swiss unemployment and other state help, which does not apply to those living within Campione village limits, which is legally Italy.

Firefighters and ambulances are provided by the Swiss authorities. However, security is provided by the Carabinieri (Italian military police) and the village also has a Polizia Locale group.

Previously, mail could be sent to Campione using either a Swiss postal code (CH-6911) or an Italian one (IT-22061) via Switzerland or Italy, but the Swiss postal code has ceased to be valid, with mail instead being charged at the same international rate as that between Switzerland and Italy. Consequently, all mail is now processed and delivered by Poste Italiane, not La Posta Svizzera. The telephone system remains Swiss, meaning that calls from Italy and all other countries outside Switzerland require the international dialling code for Switzerland, +41, with the exception of the town hall, which can be reached using the code for Italy, +39.

Similarly, motor vehicles, which used Ticino registration plates, were no longer allowed to do so, or to be insured in Switzerland. Instead, they were required to be registered in Como. However, electricity has always been supplied from Italy. It is Europe's largest casino.

The casino was declared bankrupt on 27 July 2018 and then closed. The economic impact of the closure was a threat to the entire village, with everything from pizzeria owners and taxi drivers to the municipal fire department on the list of creditors. Locals feared that without the casino, the commune would become a ghost town.

Education

Schools within the comune are the Scuola Materna G. Garibaldi, the Scuola Elementare, and the Scuola Media.

Sports

AP Campionese is a football club based in Campione d'Italia. The club plays in the Swiss football league system.

See also

  • Büsingen am Hochrhein
  • List of communes of the Province of Como
  • List of enclaves and exclaves
  • Llívia

References

  • European Court of Human Rights: Nada v. Switzerland 10593/08