PROGRAM EVALUATION: DVC WITH ITALIAN NATIONAL

UNCLAS ROME 000287 SIPDIS FOR IIP/G/EUR CSIEMONH; IIP/G RCROSS-NAJAFI; IIP/T/ES BDURANT; EUR/PPD/RHILTON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: DVC OIIP SUBJECT: PROGRAM EVALUATION: DVC WITH ITALIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL ON ECONOMICS AND LABOR (CNEL),NOVEMBER 27, 2001 ¶1. DESCRIPTION OF ACTIVITY: A DVC ON ECONOMIC ISSUES ORGANIZED IN COLLABORATION BETWEEN PA ROME AND THE ITALIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL ON ECONOMICS AND LABOR (CNEL), A CONSULTING BODY TO THE PARLIAMENT AND TO THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT ON ECONOMIC AND LABOR ISSUES. PA MILAN WAS "PASSIVE" ON THE PROGRAM. UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 ROME 00287 181521Z ¶2. DATES: FIRST QUARTER, FY-2002; WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 27, ¶2001. ¶3. JUSTIFICATION/OBJECTIVE: CNEL IS ITALY'S HIGHEST-LEVEL ECONOMIC RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND IS OFFICIALLY A COMPONENT OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT. THE NEW PRESIDENT IS TRYING TO MODERNIZE AND INTERNATIONALIZE THE INSTITUTION AND APPROACHED PA WITH A PROPOSAL TO CO-HOST A SERIES OF DVC PROGRAMS ON GLOBALIZATION. THIS FIRST PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY DESIGNED TO LOOK AT GLOBALIZATION OF MARKETS; HOWEVER, SINCE SEPTEMBER 11, WE DECIDED INSTEAD TO FOCUS ON THE STATE OF THE U.S. ECONOMY AND THE IMPACT THE ATTACKS HAVE HAD ON BOTH U.S. CONSUMERS AND PRODUCERS. ¶4. MPP UMBRELLA THEMES: PROMOTING ECONOMIC PROSPERITY, SUBTHEME: GLOBAL ECONOMIC GROWTH; COOPERATION ON GLOBAL ISSUES, SUBTHEME: TERRORISM ¶5. AUDIENCES REACHED: ITALIAN LABOR EXPERTS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, BUSINESSPERSONS AND ECONOMISTS, INTERNATIONAL DIPLOMATS, JOURNALISTS. ¶6. RESULT/IMPACT: EXCELLENT. THE DVC WAS ENTITLED "ECONOMICS AFTER SEPTEMBER 11: MORE STATE, LESS MARKET?" THE THREE U.S. SPEAKERS, RON WEXLER, INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIST FROM MERRILL LYNCH, WILLIAM CANIS OF THE MANUFACTURERS INSTITUTE, THE NATIONAL MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION, AND UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 ROME 00287 181521Z KATHRYN HAUSER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY COUNCIL, SPOKE ABOUT THE CURRENT STATE OF THE U.S. ECONOMY AND PROSPECTS FOR RECOVERY. ITALIAN PANELISTS INCLUDED THE PRESIDENT OF AN INFLUENTIAL BUSINESS ORGANIZATION, CONFCOMMERCIO, THE PRESIDENT OF THE PARA- STATAL ENERGY COMPANY AND LEADING ITALIAN INDUSTRIALIST, CURRENTLY PRESIDENT OF HIS OWN TELECOMMUNICATIONS GROUP. THE ACTING DCM GAVE OPENING REMARKS. MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE EVENT INCLUDED ARTICLES IN MAJOR DAILIES IL SOLE 24- ORE AND CORRIERE DELLA SERA AS WELL AS IN SEVERAL OTHER NEWSPAPERS AND WIRE SERVICES. CNEL, WHICH IS FUNDED BY THE GOI AND CONSIDERED THE FOURTH "BRANCH" OF THE ITALIAN GOVERNMENT, WAS VERY PLEASED WITH THE PROGRAM AND IS EAGER TO DO MORE DVC PROGRAMS WITH THE EMBASSY ON VARIOUS ECONOMIC AND GLOBALIZATION ISSUES. PA STAFF LENT EXTENSIVE SUPPORT TO ENSURE THE TECHNICAL ASPECTS OF THE DVC WENT SMOOTHLY, AN INVESTMENT THAT WE EXPECT TO PAY OFF OVER TIME, AS CNEL INCREASINGLY USES THIS MEDIUM FOR CONTACTS WITH THE UNITED STATES. ¶7. NON USG SOURCES OF IN-COUNTRY FUNDING/IN-KIND SUPPORT: CNEL PAID FOR THE PROGRAM AND FOR RENTAL OF THE DVC EQUIPMENT, A COST OF APPROXIMATELY $7000. ¶8. QUALITY OF U.S. AND AGENCY OFFICE SUPPORT: GOOD. SEMBLER UNCLASSIFIED > 2002ROME00287 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED