Service for Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Disputes and International Agreements

Head of the Service for Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Disputes and International Agreements
Giorgio Marrapodi

Deputy Head of the Service for Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Disputes and International Agreements
Stefania Rosini

Telephone 06 3691 2460
Fax 063230315
Email: contenzioso@esteri.it

Office I – Diplomatic disputes, international law, assistance to Italian government agents to protect national interests in international courts

• Advice on international legal issues submitted by other Ministry offices, international disputes involving questions of international law;
• legal assistance for negotiation and the signing of international conventions and treaties and other unification instruments in the context of the International Institute for the Unification of Private Law (UNIDROIT) and the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL);
• procedure for the ratification of international conventions and treaties entered into by Italy, as well as collecting and up-dating the same;
• in liaison with the Legal Office, assistance in drafting domestic legislation transposing international conventions and treaties entered into by Italy;
• collaboration with the Italian Government Agent to protect the rights and interests of the country before international courts and tribunals, in liaison with the other government departments concerned and with the Directorate General for the European Union for cases before the courts of the Union;
• verification of conditions of reciprocity on the enjoyment of civil rights by non-resident foreign citizens.

Office II – Defence of the Ministry in external disputes

• On the basis of the information provided by the competent offices in the Ministry and with a view to ensuring unified guidance: preparation and coordination of the Administration’s defence in lawsuits brought by external parties; or in lawsuits brought by the Administration against external parties, with the exclusion of disputes concerning personnel;
• representing the interests of the State in the courts, drawing on the assistance of the State Legal Advisers;
• assistance in any disputes abroad involving the interests of the Administration, including with reference to state-owned real estate and negotiated settlements and arbitration.

Office III – Legal advisory service

• Advice on non-international legal questions submitted by other offices and of interest to the Ministry;
• opinions, assistance in drafting public tenders and contractual instruments;
• collection, up-dating and consultation of legislative provisions and the decisions of the courts.