THE GENERAL COUNCIL OF ITALIANS ABROAD (CGIE)
Established by Law of 6 November 1989, No. 368 (amended by Law of 18 June 1998, No. 198), and regulated by Presidential Decree of 14 September 1998, No. 329, the CGIE carries out advisory activities for the government on matters of major interest for Italians abroad. The Council represents the first step in the process of developing active “participation” in the political life of the country by Italian communities residing abroad, and constitutes an institution essential to facilitating their permanent connection to Italy.
The General Council of Italians Abroad meets at the following levels: Plenary Assembly, Continental Committees and committees treating different subject matters. It is made up of 94 members, 65 of which are elected directly every five years by Italians abroad through local electoral assemblies (the latest elections took place in June 2004 on the basis of a geographic distribution defined by the Foreign Affairs Ministry Decree of 4 May 2004). In addition to the elected members, there are 29 members appointed by Decree of the Prime Minister, on the recommendations of the National Emigration Associations, the parties represented in parliament, the trade union organisations and by the most representative charitable institutions.
The President of the CGIE is the Minister for Foreign Affairs, while the following posts are elected: the Secretary General (who convenes the Plenary Assembly and the Presidential Committee, organises its work programme and implements its decisions taken); the four Deputy Secretaries General for the three geographic areas (Europe and North Africa; Latin America; Non-European English-speaking countries) and for the group of members appointed by the government; and the Presidential Committee (made up of 17 members), that meets at least six times a year. During the two annual plenary assemblies, the advisory body, the CGIE, examines the problems of Italian communities abroad, formulates opinions, proposals and recommendations in terms of state or regional legislative or administrative initiatives, international agreements and EU provisions concerning Italian communities abroad. In particular, the CGIE formulates an obligatory opinion on the government’s objectives with regard to the following topics: state financial support for Italian communities abroad; long-term programmes and financial arrangements in respect of educational policy, professional training and social and welfare protection; criteria for the allocation of funds to national associations, charitable organisations, professional training bodies, press and information bodies; radio and television programmes for the Italian communities abroad; guidelines for the reforming of the consular, education and social services.
ELECTIONS OF THE GENERAL COUNCIL FOR ITALIANS ABROAD (CGIE)
The General Council for Italians Abroad (CGIE) is made up of 94 members in office for 5 years. A total of 65 of these are elected to represent the communities of Italians residing abroad.
The elected members are chosen by an assembly formed for each country – or group of countries – by properly established COMITES and by associations of Italian communities, in numbers not to exceed 30% of the members of the COMITES in European countries, and 45% of transoceanic countries.
In countries where COMITES are not established, the association of Italian communities operating in loco for at least 5 years are to propose twice as many names for the list of diplomatic representatives compared to the expected number.
The remaining 29 members appointed by the government and assigned as follows:
– 10 from the national emigration associations;
– 7 from parties with parliamentary representation;
– 9 from trade unions and from the most representative charitable institutions and that are represented on the CNEL (National Council for Economy and Labour);
– 1 from the National Press Federation;
– 1 from the United Federation of the Italian press abroad;
– 1 from the most representative organisation of border labourers.