Pursuant to Article 21 of Law 125/2014, the Joint Committee is established at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI). It is chaired by the Minister or the Deputy Minister in charge of Development Cooperation. Its members are the Director General for Development Cooperation (DGCS), the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and the Director General of Treasury of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (MEF), the latter within the limits of the matters falling within the specific competence of MEF.
The Joint Committee is also attended – without the right to vote – by the Heads of the respective structures competent for the topics on the agenda and by representatives of other Administrations, when issues falling within their respective competences are dealt with. When issues that also concern the Regions and Autonomous Provinces of Trento and Bolzano are tackled, a representative of the Conference of Regions and Autonomous Provinces and, for the matters falling within the local authorities’ competence, a representative of their associations participate in the Joint Committee, without the right to vote.
The Joint Committee approves all cooperation initiatives worth over two million euros and the initiatives to be financed from the revolving fund for concessional loans. It defines the annual programming with reference to countries and areas of intervention, and performs any other task specified by Law No. 125/2014 or by its implementing regulations. The Joint Committee also expresses its opinion on the initiatives of Cassa Depositi e Prestiti (Deposits and Loans Fund) to be financed with own resources, pursuant to Article 22, paragraph 4, of Law No. 125/2014.
Initiatives up to a maximum amount of two million euros are approved by the Director of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and brought to the Joint Committee’s attention.
For the sake of completeness and accuracy of information, it should be added that pursuant to Article 10, paragraph 1, international humanitarian emergency interventions are decided by the Minister or the Deputy Minister competent for Development Cooperation.