Competence in the litigation phase
The Service for Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Disputes and International Treaties is responsible – in close liaison with the Ministerial structures concerned and with the State Legal Service – for the defence of the Administration in national disputes initiated against the Foreign Ministry by parties outside the Administration, except for disputes on certain matters specifically reserved to the direct competence of other centres of responsibility.
Advisory function
In order to ensure the correctness of administrative action, the Service also performs an internal advisory function in favour of Ministerial offices on particularly complex technical and-legal issues.
Legal Costs
The Service is the Ministerial body responsible for paying legal costs in cases where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation loses a case. To this end, it manages a specific chapter of the Ministry’s budget.