Border Municipalities: The Distance Worth 150,000 Euros

Context

TL;DR

• Misinto worker lost 150k euros in tax benefits due to border municipality status.
• New Swiss-Italian tax agreement impacts cross-border workers' net salaries.
• 72 Italian municipalities now recognized as border areas but lack retroactive tax benefits.
• Misinto's mayor fought for equity in cross-border worker tax benefits.

Key facts

• Misinto worker: Lost 150,000 euros in tax benefits due to border municipality status.
• Distance from border: 17,088 meters from the Swiss border.
• Misinto population: 5,754 residents.
• New tax agreement: Effective since July 17, 2023.
• Border municipality: Defined as within 20 kilometers of the border.
• New border municipalities: 72 Italian locations, including Misinto, recognized as border areas.
• Old cross-border workers: Worked in Switzerland since 2018, pay taxes only in Switzerland until retirement.
• New cross-border workers: Must pay taxes in both Switzerland and Italy.

Distance is sometimes more than just a geographical measure; it can represent a fiscal dividing line that makes a difference of tens or even hundreds of thousands of euros. This is the situation emerging strongly in Lombardy, where the definition of a 'border municipality' has taken on increasingly complex and, for many, unfair contours. The story of a worker from Misinto, in the province of Monza, is emblematic: for twenty years, she crossed the border to work in the Canton of Ticino but was never recognized as a cross-border worker with the associated tax benefits. Only thanks to the persistence of her husband, who calculated a distance of just 17,088 meters from the Swiss border, did a glaring disparity come to light: an estimated 150,000 euros in lost tax benefits for the family and a missed 20,000 euros in revenue for her municipality in terms of tax repayments.

Matteo Piuri, the mayor of Misinto, a town of 5,754 residents in the Lombard Brianza area, took the issue to heart in 2022, driven by the concerns of his fellow citizens. As he told tvsvizzera.it, his goal was not to 'reinvent the wheel' but to pursue a principle of equity. After all, Brianza has always been a land of cross-border workers, and many residents have moved to neighboring municipalities already recognized as border areas for tax reasons. The stakes are high: an Italian worker taxed in Switzerland pays fewer taxes, a crucial advantage especially in light of the new bilateral agreement on the taxation of cross-border workers, in effect since July 17, 2023. This agreement has created two distinct categories: 'old cross-border workers,' who have been working in Switzerland since 2018 and will continue to pay taxes only in the Confederation until retirement, and 'new cross-border workers,' who must now pay taxes in both Switzerland and Italy. This significant difference heavily impacts net salaries, as we have frequently highlighted on Frontaliere Ticino. The case of Misinto, along with 71 other Lombard, Piedmontese, and Aosta Valley municipalities now recognized, opens a scenario of legitimate claims and great confusion, with direct implications for thousands of workers who cross border points such as Brogeda, Gaggiolo, or Ponte Tresa daily to reach their jobs in the Canton of Ticino.

Operational details

The crux of the matter lies in the very definition of a 'border municipality,' a curious story rooted in over fifty years of treaties and established practices. The previous Italy-Switzerland agreement from 1974, surprisingly, did not provide a detailed definition. It allowed the cantons of Ticino, Valais, and Grisons to use their own unilateral lists of border municipalities, lists that, although not formally mentioned in the agreement, were tacitly accepted by the Italian authorities. Giordano Macchi, director of the Taxation Division of the Ticino Department of Finance and Economy (DFE), ironically admitted that he could not trace the original source of these lists, joking that in 1974 he was still learning to walk. However, it seems the origin can be traced back to a list related to grazing rights and livestock crossing, included in the 1953 Convention between Switzerland and Italy for border traffic and pasturing, which already mentioned 'cross-border workers' and 'border zones.'

Andrea Puglia, a trade unionist with OCST, confirms that each canton created its own list to fill a regulatory void and that these lists, though unilateral, became customary and effectively law due to Italy's tacit approval. The now-central 20-kilometer threshold was not present in the 1953 Convention, which generically referred to 'border zones' extending approximately ten kilometers, with the possibility of exceptional extensions. The first explicit mention of the 20 kilometers appeared only in a 2017 resolution by the Italian Revenue Agency, but as Puglia explains, it was a shorthand expression that echoed the 'common parlance' used for nearly fifty years to describe municipalities included in cantonal lists. The current taxation agreement has finally established a clear definition, identifying a border municipality as one within 20 kilometers of the border. This led to the inclusion of 72 new Italian locations, including Misinto, in the official list. However, the irony is that these municipalities, although recognized, do not fall within the tax category of 'old cross-border workers.' This means that a worker from Misinto with twenty years of service in Ticino is now considered a 'new cross-border worker,' with all the associated tax consequences. Ticino unions, such as OCST, consider this disparity a true injustice. The issue of retroactivity has been raised, but the cantons have refused to apply it, maintaining a distinction that directly impacts purchasing power and the perception of equity among workers, a topic closely linked to discussions on the minimum wage in Ticino and measures to counter wage and social dumping, as highlighted in recent Ticino votes.

Useful tools for your case

To verify your within/over 20 km tax scenario, use the net salary calculator and the tax return guide.

Key points

The current situation creates significant confusion and uncertainty, especially for cross-border workers residing in the 72 newly recognized municipalities. For these workers, the lack of retroactivity means facing a less favorable tax regime compared to their 'old cross-border worker' colleagues, despite performing the same job and having the same years of service. It is crucial for those in this situation to act with awareness and promptness. The first step is to verify whether their municipality is included in the new official list and the exact distance from the border, as the diligent citizen of Misinto did by consulting the Italian Military Geographical Institute (IGM). Subsequently, it is essential to understand the implications of their 'new cross-border worker' status for income tax declarations in both Italy and Switzerland. Remember that 'new cross-border workers' pay income tax on the Swiss portion up to 80% directly in Ticino and the remaining 20% (and other local taxes) in their Italian municipality of residence.

Given this complexity, we strongly recommend leaving nothing to chance. Consult a tax expert specialized in cross-border issues for a personalized assessment of your situation. It may be appropriate to request specific clarifications from the Revenue Agency or consider potential appeals to contest the lack of retroactivity, although the path is uphill. Transparency and access to accurate information are crucial. To help you navigate this intricate scenario, Frontaliere Ticino provides useful tools to verify your municipality's status and its related tax implications. Do not underestimate the impact of these new rules on your salary and tax repayments. To find out if your municipality is among the border ones and what IRPEF surcharges apply, we invite you to consult our Interactive Map of Border Municipalities with all updated tax information. This will allow you to have a clear picture of your position and act accordingly. The news was published on February 28, 2026, on tvsvizzera.it.