Decree n. 226 of 23 August 2004 (G.U. n. 204 of 23/8/2004), calls for, as of January 2005, the early suspension of obligatory military service and the establishment of professional military service.
Italian citizens who intend to repatriate in order to perform voluntary military service are not eligible for the benefits stated in decree 433/66, which governs repatriation procedures at the expense of the Treasury for the sole purpose of obligatory military service.