Italian business associations have a long history. Some have been established for nearly a century. The Italian provincial chambers of commerce and industry, known as the "Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Handicrafts and Agriculture", have a history dating back to 1770. In that year, the first chamber of commerce was established in Florencia, where industry and commerce were well developed.

Confindustria is the largest and most influential chamber of commerce, founded in 1910, and plays a pivotal role in the development of the Italian economy, with the aim of representing the interests and needs of the Italian economy as a whole, together with the various administrative and social institutions, the government and the parliament. Its purpose is to represent the interests and needs of the entire Italian economy, to communicate with the administrative and social institutions, the government and the parliament, and to make proposals to protect the interests and promote the development of the Italian economy.

The Italian Ministry of Productive Activities is responsible for the supervision of the Chamber. The Chamber's annual report and the related development of the Chamber's activities are also subject to the supervision of the Ministry. The Chamber's annual report and related development plans are submitted by the Ministry of Productive Activities to the Parliament for consideration. The Chamber's annual budget and final accounts, as well as the number of employees, supplementary budgets, and the establishment of subsidiary companies are subject to the approval of the Ministry of Productive Activities in conjunction with the Ministry of Economy and Finance. The Ministry of Productive Activities also promulgates regulations to guide the management of the Chamber's assets and finances.

The Federation of Italian Industrialists has branches in 18 of Italy's 20 regions, with 103 local associations and 95 industry associations, and currently 142,762 companies have joined the Federation of Industrialists. The organization is a federation representing the most important Italian companies, whose leadership and members are influential entrepreneurs in the Italian business world.