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Since its unification in 1861, Italy has been considered a major European country. Its main allies are the United States, the other NATO countries (Italy was one of the founding countries of the organization in 1949), and the European Union. Italy was a founding member of the European Union's predecessor, the European Coal and Steel Community. Italy also has strong relations with Russia and the Northern African countries, especially with its ex-colony Libya, until Italy's intervention in the military intervention against the country in 2011.
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Italy was one of the Founding members of the European Community — now the European Union (EU). The country was admitted to the United Nations in 1955 and is a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade/World Trade Organization (GATT/WTO), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), and the Council of Europe. It chaired the CSCE (the forerunner of the OSCE) in 1994, the EU in 1996, and the G8 in 2001, and held the EU presidency from July to December 2003.
Italy participated in and deployed troops in support of UN peacekeeping missions in Somalia, Mozambique, and East Timor and provides critical support for NATO and UN operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo and Albania. 1,000 Alpini troops were deployed to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in February 2003. Italy also supported international efforts to reconstruct and stabilize Iraq through its military contingent of some 3,200 troops, as well as humanitarian workers and other officials. The troops remained in Iraq until December 2006 when they were retrieved by the Romano Prodi government.
In August 2006 Italy sent about 3,000 soldiers to Lebanon for the United Nations peacekeeping mission UNIFIL.[1] Furthermore, since 2 February 2007 an Italian, Claudio Graziano is the commander of the UN force in the country.
The Italian government seeks to obtain consensus with other European countries on various defense and security issues within the EU as well as NATO. European integration and the development of common defense and security policies will continue to be of primary interest to Italy.
In February 2007, Italy, Britain, Canada, Norway and Russia announced their funding commitments to launch a $1.5 billion project to help develop vaccines they said could save millions of lives in poor nations, and called on others to join them.[1]
On January 21, 2008, the Solomon Times reported that Italy had "pledged to convene an Italian-Pacific Islands Forum towards the end of 2008". The newspaper reported that Italy wished to "deepen [its] bilateral relations with Pacific Island countries". Italy has applied to be a dialogue partner of the Pacific Islands Forum, and attended a Forum meeting in Tonga in October 2007. A Memorandum of Understanding between Italy and the Pacific Islands countries exists as a commitment to provide development aid.[2] However, the fall of the Prodi government a few days after the publication of this article has left the future of Italy-Pacific Islands relations potentially uncertain.
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
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| Austria | See Austria–Italy relations
Austria has an embassy in Rome, a general consulate in Milan and 10 honorary consulates (in Bari, Bologna, Florence, Genoa, Naples, Palermo, Trieste, Turin, Venice and Verona). Italy has an embassy in Vienna, a consulate in Innsbruck, and 4 honorary consulates (in Graz, Klagenfurt, Linz and Salzburg). |
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| Belarus | ||
| Belgium |
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| Bulgaria | 1879 | See Bulgaria–Italy relations |
| Croatia | 1992-01-17 | See Croatia–Italy relations
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| Cyprus |
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| Czech Republic | ||
| Denmark | See Denmark-Italy relations | |
| Estonia |
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| Finland | See Foreign relations of Finland
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| Germany | See Foreign relations of Germany
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| Greece | 1861 | See Greece–Italy relations
In modern times, both countries established diplomatic relations in 1861, immediately upon Italy’s unification.
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| Holy See | See Holy See – Italy relations
Due to the size of the Vatican City State, embassies accredited to the Holy See are based on Italian territory. Treaties signed between Italy and the Vatican City State permit such embassages. The Embassy of Italy to the Holy See is unique amongst foreign embassages in that it is the only embassy based on its home territory. The Holy See maintains formal diplomatic relations with 176 sovereign states, the European Union, and the Order of Malta; 69 of the diplomatic missions accredited to the Holy See are situated in Rome, though those countries then have two embassies in the same city, since, by agreement between the Holy See and Italy, the same person cannot be accredited simultaneously to both. This is shown clearly by the fact that Italy recognizes the People's Republic of China, and as such, the Chinese Embassy is in Rome. However, the Vatican City State recognizes the Taiwan, and as such, Taiwan's Embassy to the Holy See is also in Rome. As Italy was the first country to recognize the Holy See as a sovereign nation, their embassy was the first one established. |
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| Hungary |
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| Iceland |
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| Ireland |
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| Kosovo | See Italian–Kosovan relations
Italy recognized Kosovo on 21 February 2008.[29][30] Italy has an embassy in Pristina since 15 May 2008.[31] Kosovo will open an embassy in Rome. |
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| Latvia | 1991-08-30 |
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| Lithuania |
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| Luxembourg | 1902 |
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| Malta | See Italy–Malta relations
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| Moldova |
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| Monaco | See Italy-Monaco relations | |
| Montenegro | 2006-06-14 |
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| Netherlands |
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| Poland | 1919 | See Italy–Poland relations
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| Romania | 1873-04-23 |
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| Russia | See Italy–Russia relations
Russia has an embassy in Rome and consulates in Genoa, Milan and Palermo, and Italy has an embassy in Moscow, a consulate in Saint Petersburg, two consulte generals (in Ekaterinburg and Kaliningrad), and two embassy branches in (Samara and Volgograd). Both countries are full members of the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe. Russia enjoys close relations with Italy. In 2006, Russia and Italy have signed a protocol of cooperation for fighting crime and defending civil liberties. There are close commercial ties between the two countries. Italy is Russia's second important commercial partner in the EU, after Germany. and its state-owned energy company, ENI, has recently signed a very important long-term contract with Gazprom, to import Russian gas into Italy. The relationship between Russia and Italy goes back a long way. Already in the 1960s, Italy's FIAT built a car-assembling plant in the Soviet city of Tolyatti (a city named after the Italian Communist Party's secretary Palmiro Togliatti). Russians have always visited Italy in great numbers. Many Russian students come to Italy each year to study arts and music. Unlike many other Western European countries, Italy has traditionally always maintained good relationships with Russia, even during the Soviet era. In particular, the Silvio Berlusconi Government (2001–2006) strengthened Italy's ties with Russia, due to his personal friendship with President Vladimir Putin. Cooperation extends also to the aviation sector, between Italy's Alenia and Russia's Sukhov, who are jointly developing a new aircraft. Finally, for a long time Italy had the largest communist party in the Western world, with over 2 million members. .[48] |
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| Serbia | 1879 |
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| Spain | See Italy–Spain relations
Both countries established diplomatic relations after the unification of Italy. Relations between Italy Spain have remained strong and affable for centuries owing to various political, cultural, and historical connections between the two nations. |
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| Switzerland | See Switzerland – Italy relations | |
| Ukraine | 1992 | |
| United Kingdom | See Italy – United Kingdom relations
Although enemies during World War II, the United Kingdom and Italy have generally enjoyed a warm and friendly relationship throughout history. Both states embrace membership of the European Union, NATO, OSCE and the G8[52] Between 4 and 5 million British tourists visit Italy every year, while 1 million Italian tourists visit the UK.[53] There are about 19,000 British nationals living in Italy, and 150,000 Italians living in the UK.[54] |
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| Yugoslavia | See Italy–Yugoslavia relations
The Kingdoms of Italy and Yugoslavia have had increasingly turbulent relations during the 20th century. |
| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
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| Argentina | See List of diplomatic missions of Argentina | |
| Canada |
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| Chile | 1864-01-20 | See Foreign relations of Chile
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| Colombia | See Foreign relations of Colombia | |
| Mexico | 1946 |
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| Paraguay | 1867 |
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| Peru | 1874-12-23 |
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| United States | See Italy–United States relations
The United States enjoy a peculiar relation with Italy, as the latter, defeated in WWII, has been a secret battlefield of the Cold War. Italy and the US are NATO allies and cooperate in the United Nations, in various regional organizations, and bilaterally. Italy has worked closely with the United States and with other nations on such issues as NATO and UN operations as well as with assistance to Russia and the New Independent States; the Middle East peace process; multilateral talks; Somalia and Mozambique peacekeeping; and combating drug trafficking, trafficking in women and children, and terrorism. Under longstanding bilateral agreements flowing from NATO membership, Italy hosts important U.S. military forces at Vicenza and Livorno (army); Aviano (air force); and Sigonella, Gaeta, and Naples- home port for the U.S. Navy Sixth Fleet. The United States still has about 16,000 military personnel stationed in Italy. The NATO War College is situated at Cecchignola, near Rome. Also, investigations continue about the killing of Italian Military Intelligence service officer Nicola Calipari by United States troops during the liberation of Giuliana Sgrena and about the abduction and torture of terrorism suspect Abu Omar by CIA agents. |
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| Uruguay | 1861 |
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| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
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| Egypt | See Egypt–Italy relations
Relations between both countries were established during the period of the Roman Empire. However in World War II, relations were strained as Italy invaded Egypt. However after the war, relations were re-established and are close. Egypt has representations in Rome and Milan, while Italy has representations in Cairo and Alexandria, also the two nations are members of the Union for the Mediterranean. |
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| Iran | See Iran–Italy relations
Iran-Italy trade stood at $US 2.7 Billion in 2001 [1] and 3.852 Billion Euros in 2003.[2] In 2005, Italy was the third largest trading partner of Iran with 7.5% of all exports to Iran.[3] Italy was the top trading partner of Iran in the European Union in early 2006.[67] Commercial exchanges hit 6 billion euros in 2008.[68] Although Italy harbors a large population of members of the MKO as do many European Union states, Italy officially considers the group a terrorist organization. [4] |
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| Iraq | See Iraq–Italy relations
Iraq has an embassy in Rome and Italy has an embassy in Baghdad and a consulate-general in Basra. |
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| Israel | 1948 | See Israel–Italy relations
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| Kenya | 1963 | |
| Lebanon | See Italy–Lebanon relations
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| Libya | 1947, 2011 | See Italy–Libya relations
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| South Africa | 1929 |
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| Tunisia | 1957 |
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| Turkey | 1856 |
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| Country | Formal Relations Began | Notes |
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| Afghanistan | ~1919 |
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| Armenia |
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| Australia | See Australia–Italy relations
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| Azerbaijan | See Azerbaijan–Italy relations | |
| Georgia | See Georgia–Italy relations
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| India | See Foreign_relations_of_India#Italy | |
| Japan | 1913 |
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| New Zealand |
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| Pakistan |
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| People's Republic of China | See People's Republic of China – Italy relations
In 2005, Italy and the People's Republic of China have celebrated the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations. However, China's massive exports of textile and footwear into Italy are said to be a rising concern to Italy's economy and productivity.[103] |
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| South Korea | 1884-06-26 | See Italy – South Korea relations
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| Thailand | 1870 | |
| Vietnam | 1973-03-23 |
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