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Overseas Constituency
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In order to identify the reasons contributing to the establishment of the General Council of Italians Abroad (CGIE) it is necessary to refer to the debate that emerged from the National Conference on Emigration that led, at different intervals, to several proposals aimed at creating an institution that could represent Italians residing abroad.
On September 16 1988, upon recommendation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the time, Giulio Andreotti, the Council of Ministers chaired by Prime Minister Ciriaco De Mita, approved the bill establishing the General Council of Italians Abroad, which was later approved and ratified by the Parliament.
In December of the same year, the final document of the Second National Conference on Emigration was approved unanimously by over two thousand delegates from all over the world and was submitted to the Government in order to recommend the creation of an institution that ensured the right for Italians living abroad to take part in the decisions made by their homeland regarding emigration.
On November 6 1989, the Parliament (under Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti and Minister of Foreign Affairs Gianni De Michelis) approved the constitutive law establishing the General Council of Italians Abroad, an organisation with advisory and recommendation powers in the emigration sector. However, an entire year passed before the related enforcement regulation was submitted and finally approved on November 29 1990 leading to the Presidential Decree no. 434.
The 1991-1998 term
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Piero Fassino;
Deputy Chairpersons
The Council was officially installed two years later, on December 12 1991, under Foreign Minister Piero Fassino.
The first Plenary Assembly defined the Council's organisational structure and appointed the Chair's Committee and the members of specific theme work groups, i.e. Thematic Commissions for the following areas:
During the meeting of the Plenary Assembly two Deputy Chairpersons were appointed:
Moreover, two representatives of the National Commission for the Promotion and Propagation of the Italian language were appointed.
- During a meeting of the Plenary Assembly held in June 1992 a policy paper was also approved defining 10 work items:
The Council's first term of office was longer than the five-year period originally planned for the Board of Councillors, in fact the annual report and three-year forecast - defined by the applicable law - was postponed to a final report that covered a longer period, i.e. from 1991 to 1998. As mentioned in the report, the Council's first term occurred in a complex political period, with the transition of four different governments, seven Ministers of Foreign Affairs, five Ministers in charge of Emigration issues, four General Directors for Emigration and Social Affairs within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and four government officers within the Ministry reporting to the Secretary of the CGIE.
During its first term, "despite the restrictions imposed on its operation and functions, which included the lack of financial and administrative independence as it was considered merely as a voluntary project", the GCIE managed to devote meticulous and patient efforts in achieving the full acknowledgment of its institutional dignity from major authorities: Government, Parliament, Regional Boards, public and private agencies and finally affirm how "Italian emigration is not a marginal phenomenon but implies a true cultural and economic potential on an international level".
In this respect, the CGIE has faced all the issues concerning emigration, by organising seminars, workshops and international conferences:
An extensive literature was produced during the meetings of the Plenary Assembly and the Thematic Commissions that tackled a number of issues ranging from the registration in the AIRE (i.e. the Registry of Italians Abroad) established under Law no. 480 of 1988, to further debates on the promotion and spread of the Italian language and culture throughout the world as well as vocational training for Italians abroad, the economic contribution of Italians living overseas, and the establishment of a Permanent Assembly of State-Regions-Autonomous Provinces-GGIE.
The 1998-2003 term
The reformed Council of Italians Abroad was installed in late 1998
Minister of Foreign Affairs Lamberto DINI
The many issues and topics tackled during the second term of the Board of Councillors resulted in major commitments to the future of the communities of Italians residing abroad.
This term of the Board started with a meeting of the Plenary Assembly that evolved around the essential debate regarding the right for Italian citizens living abroad to vote from abroad. This topical issue that characterised the first meeting of the Plenary Assembly held on February 24-27 1999 was marked by the decision of the Parliament to supplement art. 48 of the Constitution with a section on the "Circoscrizione Estero" (Overseas Constituency). This decision amended articles 56 and 57 of the Constitution that provided for additional Deputies (12) and Senators (6) in the Parliament, thus opening new channels for direct representation of Italians living outside Italy in the Italian political scenario.
The reform law approving the establishment of the Com.It.Es in late 2003 (23 October 2003) provided these local agencies for Italians abroad with a more effective representation before diplomatic and consular authorities and a greater visibility and authority within the local institutional scene.
Another important event that characterised the second term of the GCIE was the European Parliament election, involving Italians living in other European countries and which served as a preparation for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Domestic Affairs to the referendums and elections scheduled to take place during the third term of the GCIE.
The First Conference of Italians in the World, held in Rome in December 2000 was subsequently followed by a difficult transition period marked by the installation of a Secretary-General of the Conference and then by the works of four Continental Pre-Conferences held between the end of 1999 and early 2000, which helped to create a greater (although limited) awareness in the public of the presence of another Italy abroad. Moreover, despite the persistent and degrading stereotypes applied to Italian immigrants, the media seemed to be giving more attention to this topic which was completely ignored a few decades ago.
The First Conference finally introduced a few novelties: renewed enthusiasm for the first Seminar on Italian Women Abroad, held at the head office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (La Farnesina building) with the contribution of the Commission for Equal Opportunities of the Italian Parliament and the Minister for Equal Opportunities, which transferred into the First Conference of Italian Women Abroad.
Major attention was given to the contribution of women to the migration process, the acknowledgment of their role in transferring the values, knowledge and traditions of their homeland and, therefore, acting as a true bond between Italy and their communities in their host countries. In order to ratify the final document of the Conference that preceded the works of the Plenary Assembly in Rome, which identified the requests, needs, values and hopes of women around the world who are Italian-born and of Italian origin. This period is also characterised by several legislative proposals for the establishment of a dedicated Observatory on Emigration that, unfortunately, concluded without success.
Finally, after years of mentions on the importance of the younger generations of Italian expatriates or of Italian origin, a specific Conferencewas establish to deal with the issues regarding young Italians in the world. This Conference highlights the difficulties involved in the generational passage that affect all communities including the ones of Italians living abroad.
Moreover, thanks to a more realistic representation of the Italian communities abroad, the GCIE acknowledged the presence of the numerous researchers and scientists who have significantly contributed to the development and improvement of the quality of life of the society they live in. The hope, as laid out in the final document, was to be able to express such commitment to their country of origin.
The second term of office of the GCIE was also marked by the First Conference of State-Regions-Autonomous Provinces -CGIE, which urges the institutions to promote a connection with a wide range of projects such as: citizenship rights, absentee voting from aboard, information services, and cultural and economic relations. In other words, the need is to make inter-regional policies and the connection with national institutions really effective. However, it was only in 2005 that new debates result in the commitment to turn the GCIE into a permanent inter-institutional body.
