The founding deed, not a print-out
When a company is set up in Italy a notary receives the founding deed, the atto costitutivo. It names the founders, the share capital and the first officers. Banks abroad and registrars opening a branch ask for it because it shows how the firm came into being. Anyone reading up on how to legalize a Memorandum & Articles of Association soon finds that the deed and the bylaws travel as one bundle.
Who keeps the original
The original never leaves the notary's own records. What you get is a copia conforme, a copy the notary certifies as matching the deed on file. Order it from the notary who received the deed, not from a lawyer's archive or a folder in the office. Ask for the annexes as well, since a deed without them raises questions abroad. That certified copy is what carries embassy legalization of a Memorandum & Articles of Association in Bologna.
The court desk in Bologna
A notary's deed is a notarial act, so the court desk handles it. In Bologna that means the Procura della Repubblica, the prosecutor's office at the court, which legalizes the notary's signature and seal. Administrative sheets from a town hall go to the Prefettura, a different queue that cannot help you here. Take the certified copy along with a €16 tax stamp, the marca da bollo. Those two things open consular legalization of a Memorandum & Articles of Association in Italy.
Abroad: a bank or a registrar
The far end decides what happens next. A bank opening an account, a registrar recording a branch, or a tax office abroad will each name the consulate that must stamp the bundle. Ask them whether they want the deed alone or the deed with the bylaws attached. Whether the consular step is needed at all rests on the destination, so get that answer in writing before booking the slot. Address the finished bundle to the person who asked for the embassy attestation of a Memorandum & Articles of Association in Bologna.
The bill and the diary
The Italian charge is a €16 tax stamp on the file. The consulate adds a fee it sets, publishes and can change, so confirm it when the slot is booked. Reckon on 10–15 business days for both stamps, or 3–5 business days on the rush route. Founders who legalize a Memorandum & Articles of Association in Bologna while the deed is fresh avoid paying for a second copy later. Ask the notary for a spare certified copy on that first visit.