The Foreign Ministry is responsible for the State’s functions, tasks and duties in matters concerning Italy’s political, economic, social and cultural relations with other countries.
There duty, therefore, is to ensure that the international and European activities of Italy’s other ministries and government offices are consistent with the country’s international policy objectives.
There Ministry operates through a network of offices throughout the world: embassies, permanent missions to the international organisations, special diplomatic delegations, consular offices and Italian cultural institutes.

The main sectors where MAECI works

• International relations, especially establishing closer relations with the emerging economies, enhancing Italy’s contribution to international security and contributing to our country’s energy security;
• Representing the Italian position in the European integration process, in implementing the European Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), and in the European Union’s external political and economic relations;
• Support for enterprise, economic-commercial questions, promoting the “Made in Italy” brand and supporting Italian businesses abroad;
• Promoting the Italian language and culture abroad, through Italian schools, scholarships and grants for foreign citizens, language courses organised by the Italian Cultural Institutes, and archaeological missions;
• Support and services for Italians abroad through the consular register office, assistance and protection for residents and tourists, intervention in emergencies, consular services, help for Italian prisoners abroad and assistance in cases involving international child abduction;
• Entry visas to Italy;
• Development Cooperation with the double objective of ensuring that human rights are protected and fostering the economic growth of all peoples;
• Communication and information for the institutions, the media and citizens: information is provided by the political leadership, the Press and Institutional Communication Service and the Office for Relations with the Public.