There is described a labelling unit (15) movable along a path (P) for receiving an article (3) and a label (2) and for applying said label (2) onto said article (3), the unit (15) comprising support means (20, 38); a movable member (22) adapted to carry the article (3) and supported by the support means (20, 38) in sliding and rotating fashion with respect to an axis (F); and actuator means (35, 36, 41, 50) for producing distinct movements of the movable member (22) in different operative steps of the labelling unit (15); the distinct movements comprising a pure rotation about the axis (F) and a translation along the same axis (F); the actuator means comprising a motor (35); a driving shaft (36) coaxially coupled to the movable member (22) and actuated by said motor (35) to rotate about the axis (F); first transmission means (90) for angularly coupling the motor (35) with the driving shaft (36); wherein the actuator means further comprise second transmission means (41) selectively actuatable to transform the rotational movement imparted by motor (35) to driving shaft (36) in a resulting movement of the relative movable member (22) having an axially translational component; the second transmission means (41) being radially fixed with respect to the support means (38).