Italy recognised the Republic of Estonia on 26 January 1921. The first Italian Ambassador to Estonia was Agostino Deprestis, who presented his credentials in February 1921. Before World War II, Italy's Culture Institute was active in Estonia. Historian Indro Montanelli, a grand figure in the Italian press, headed it.

In June 1921, Estonia's first diplomatic representative in Italy Karl Robert Pusta, residing in Paris, presented his credentials. The first Estonian Ambassador to reside in Rome was Karl Tofer (1927-1931). In addition to the legation in Rome, Estonia had Honorary Consulates in Genoa, Milan, Naples, Palermo and Trieste.

Italy re-recognised Estonia on 27 August 1991. Diplomatic relations between Estonia and Italy were restored on 31 August 1991. Italy's first Ambassador to the restored Republic of Estonia was Carlo Siano, who presented his credentials in October 1991. The representatives of Italy in Estonia have also been Ambassadors Roberto Martini (1996-1999), Luchino Cortese (1999-2002) and Ruggero Vozzi (2002-2005). The incumbent Italian Ambassador Fabrizio Piaggesi presented his credentials to President Arnold Rüütel in November 2005.

Estonia's Embassy in Rome resumed work in September 1996, led by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Ruth Lausma and was headed from January to September of 1998 by Chargé d'Affaires a.i. Ivar Raig. In September 1998, Estonia's first Ambassador since the restoration of the Republic Jaak Jõerüüt presented his credentials. Thereafter, Estonia was represented by Ambassador Jüri Seilenthal (2002-2006). As of September 2006, Andres Tomasberg is the Estonian Ambassador to Italy.

Estonia is represented in Italy also by five Honorary Consuls: Mario Boidi in Turin, Luigi Cecchini in Florence, Eugenio Kielland in Genoa, Mario Forte in Naples and Giuseppe Barranco di Valdivieso in Milan.

In 1993, the first Italian-Estonian parliamentary group was established in the Riigikogu. The current Italian-Estonian parliamentary group was created in June 2003, chaired by Mai Treial.

Visits

In connection with Italy’s EU Presidency, almost all Estonian Ministers participated in meetings in Italy in the second half of 2003. The most important meetings were the intergovernmental conference, which was attended by the Estonian Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, and Prime Minister Juhan Parts’ EU themed bilateral meeting with Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi in November 2003 in Rome.

The spring of 2004 was the highpoint of bilateral relations – the state visit of the Italian President Carlo Azeglio Ciampi to Estonia, which was preceded by an equally important visit by Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini.

The frequency of consultations between Estonia and Italy has greatly increased. In 2000, the General Director of the European Department of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Maurizio Moreno was in Tallinn at political consultations. In November 2001, security policy consultations took place in Rome, where Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry Väino Reinart headed the Estonian delegation. In September 2002, negotiations in the field of defence co-operation took place in Venice. The most recent security policy consultations took place from 30 June-2 July 2004 in Rome, in the framework of which a co-operation plan for 2005 was signed.

On 14 and 15 September 2005, Italian Deputy Trade Minister Adolfo Urso made a visit to Estonia. In the framework of the visit a great business seminar was also conducted, in which nearly 70 Italian entrepreneurs participated.

From 14 to 16 November 2005, Foreign Minister Urmas Paet’s working visit to Rome took place. Meetings were held with Foreign Minister Gianfranco Fini, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee Gustavo Selva and a representative of the opposition, Luciano Vecchi.

Agreements

The contractual basis of relations between Estonia and Italy has in recent years significantly increased. All basic agreements have been endorsed. Before World War II, two agreements had been agreed to: provisional trade agreement (came into force 27 Feb 1929), and the agreement on the extradition of persons and court assistance in criminal cases (came into force 1 Mar 1938).

Since the restoration of independence the two countries have signed the following agreements:

• Agreement on Co-operation in the Field of Tourism (came into force 7 Oct 1998);
• Agreement on the Abolition of Visa Requirements (came into force 8 Feb 1999);
• Agreement on Readmission of Persons (came into force 3 Mar 1999);
• Agreement on Mutual Regulation of International Road Transport of Passengers and Freight (came into force 26 Jan 2000);
• Agreement on Cultural, Educational, Scientific and Technological Co-operation (came into force 30 Jan 2000);
• Agreement on Economic, Industrial and Technical Co-operation (came into force 1 Feb 2000);
• Convention for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income (came into force 22 Feb 2000);
• Agreement on the Promotion and Protection of Investments (came into force 9 May 2000);
• Agreement Concerning Co-operation in the Field of Defence (came into force 9 Feb 2001);
• Agreement on Mutual Protection of Classified Information (came into force 8 Mar 2001).

Defence Co-operation

Contacts with Italy’s defence structures began in 1995, when a delegation of the Italian Defence Research Centre visited Estonia. Upon the signing of the co-operation agreement in 1998, defence related co-operation became more active. As of 1999, the co-operation planning has been brought to a regular level – every year an annual co-operation plan is compiled and signed. An important and central area is peacekeeping related co-operation.

Estonia and Italy have successfully co-operated in Kosovo, where Estonian peacekeepers are serving under Italian carabinieri within the Kosovo Force of the NATO armed forces (KFOR staff). The military police group ESTPATROL consisting of Estonians keeps daily watch over the camp and patrols in the field of responsibility of the Multinational Specialized Unit (MSU).

Economic Relations

In June 2001, a delegation of Estonian businessmen and public sector economic affairs officials travelled to Italy. The Italian Institute for Foreign Trade (ICE) and the Enterprise Estonia Foundation (EAS) contributed to the success of the trip. The Minister of Economic Affairs headed the Estonian delegation of entrepreneurs and representatives of speciality associations. In the framework of the mission, presentations of Estonia took place in Milan and in Rome. A co-operation agreement has been signed between ICE and the Estonian Investments and Trade Development Foundation (whose work is continued by the Agency of Foreign Investments and Export Agency).

TRADE

n 2005 Italy was Estonia's 12th largest trading partner. Exports to Italy amounted to 50.1 million EUR accounting for 0.8% of Estonia's total exports. Italy placed 19th among Estonia's export partners. Based on the volume of imports, Italy was Estonia’s 9th largest trading partner with imports from Italy amounting to 204.5 million EUR and accounting for 2.6% of Estonia's total imports in 2005.

Main export articles in 2005:

• Wood and wood products - 22%
• Animal products - 20%
• Metals - 9%

Main import articles in 2005:

• Machinery and equipment - 27%
• Textiles and textile products - 19%
• Metal and metal products - 9%

INVESTMENTS

According to the Bank of Estonia, as of 31 December 2004 the total volume of direct investments made by Italian enterprises amounted to 102 million EUR, representing 1.4% of all direct investments made in Estonia, of which the principal part had been made in immovable property, rental lease and business services. That placed Italy 11th among all countries. Estonia’s direct foreign investments in Italy as of the same date amounted to 33 million EUR, which accounted for 3.2% of total foreign investments made by Estonia (6th place). No data on Estonia’s investments have been published by specific field.

As of 31 December 2005 Italy’s foreign investment position in Estonia fell to 87.7 million EUR and its share fell 0.4%.

Culture and Education

In May 1997, Estonia and Italy signed a culture, education, science and technology related agreement that came into force in January 2000. This is a general framework agreement meant to develop and put into practice activities that will help to improve mutually understanding of each other’s cultural heritage while fostering cultural, education, science and technology related co-operation between the two countries.

Within the framework of the same agreement, Estonian and Italian representatives signed a four-year co-operation programme in January 2005 to bring Italian scholars, students and cultural figures to Estonia and to facilitate the culture, education, science and technology related co-operation. This programme supports the translation of literature, co-operation between library, archive and heritage conservation workers, helping them to participate more actively in cultural events. Both countries support the co-operation of culture and art institutions by offering research scholarships for research, language and literature studies and cultural research.

In March 2000, a group of Italians established the Italian-Estonian Friendship Society (Centro d'Amicizia Italia-Estonia). The president of the Society is former ambassador to Estonia Luchino Cortese and the Secretary General is Constantino Moretti. In October 2000, the society arranged the conference "Baroque in Estonia: Niccolò Michetti and the Kadriorg castle" in Tallinn. In November 2001, a one-day event dedicated to a famous Italian press figure connected with Estonia, Indro Montanelli, took place in Tallinn in co-operation with the friendship society, the Italian Embassy and Estonian universities.

In 1998, the Dante Alighieri Society in Estonia was re-established, open to those interested in the Italian language and culture. The membership includes academics, artists, businessmen and politicians. The society deals with the arranging of language courses and has also organised concerts, meetings and conferences.

In Estonia, one can study Italian at the Estonian Institute of Humanities, as an additional language at the University of Tartu or at various language schools. Pietro Lauretta works as an official lecturer of the Italian language and culture appointed by the Italian Foreign Ministry at the University of Tartu.

Thanks to the scholarships of the Italian Foreign Ministry and activities of the Italian Embassy in Tallinn, a great number of Estonian students and graduate students have been able to study in Italy.

CULTURAL EVENTS 2005

Music

Visual art