The Commission for the Study and Development of International Humanitarian Law is a consultative body of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI), pursuant to Article 8 of Presidential Decree No. 95/2010. The Commission’s Secretariat is located within the Service for Legal Affairs, Diplomatic Disputes and International Agreements (SGCT) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.
The Commission for the Study and Development of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) was established in 2021 and its members were renewed in January 2025 by Decree of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of January 24, 2025. It is composed of representatives of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice, and the Italian Red Cross, and is open to contributions from civil society.
The Commission has a primarily consultative role with respect to national authorities. In particular, it contributes to the study of domestic IHL legislation and the assessment of its implementation, being able to formulate proposals aimed at encouraging the adaptation of national legislation to the principles underlying international humanitarian law. The Commission also coordinates between State administrations and the civil society organizations operating in the humanitarian field and disseminates the principles of humanitarian law to civil society.