The specific national reference legislation for mushrooms focuses on aspects related to harvesting and marketing.

The Law of 23 August 1993, n. 352, “Framework Rules on the Harvesting and Marketing of Fresh and Preserved Epigeal Mushrooms”, lays down general rules on the collection and marketing of epigeal mushrooms.

Therefore, national legislation pursues both an environmental objective and a health objective to protect the health of consumers.

As regards the environmental objective, national legislation shall take into account precautions aimed both at safeguarding the environments in which the collection of epigeal fungi is carried out and at the conservation of epigeal fungi themselves from the point of view of quantity and biodiversity.

According to Law 352/93, Regions shall regulate with their own laws the collection and marketing of wild epigeal mushrooms, in compliance with the fundamental principles established by the law itself.

National basic principles on mushroom harvesting cover the following topics.

• • Authorisations for the harvesting of epigeal mushrooms and facilities for the benefit of citizens who harvest them in order to supplement their normal income
  • Derogation authorisations under which the harvesting of epigeal mushrooms is permitted to residents
  • The maximum permitted limits by quantity, species or variety, etc
  • The behaviours to be adopted in order to avoid damages to the soil, to the fungal mycelium or to the root system of the vegetation
  • Collection restrictions for certain areas
  • Time limitations related to time periods for reasons of ecosystem preservation
  • Special permits for exhibitions, seminars and other events of particular mycological and naturalistic interest
  • Courses and cultural initiatives concerning conservation and environmental protection aspects related to the collection of epigeal mushrooms, as well as the protection of mycological flora
  • Vigilance, violations and sanctions regarding the rules adopted by the Regions.

For each Region, the fundamental principles established by the Law of 23 August 1993, n. 352 and those dictated by the relevant regional acts are compared.

Regional laws for the collection of epigeal mushrooms in respect of the environment and biodiversity: