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

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2002ROME00287 - Classification: UNCLASSIFIED