International adoptions are governed by law no. 183/84, as amended by law no. 476/98 “ratifying and enforcing the Convention for the safeguard of minors and the co-operation in the field of international adoption, signed at The Hague on 29th May 1993” (for the English version click here) and by law no. 149 of 2001.
The main purpose of the Hague Convention is to establish guarantees that international adoptions take place in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights as recognised in international law, to establish a system of co-operation amongst Contracting States to ensure that those safeguards are respected, and thereby prevent the abduction, the sale of, or traffic in children.
The countries up to now signatory to the above convention are the following: Albania, Australia, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungheria, Iceand, Ireland, Israel, Italia, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Mexico, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Panama, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States of America, Uruguay, Venezuela
For all information on the procedure to follow to adopt a foreign child, please visit the website of the Commissione per le Adozioni Internazionali (Commission for International Adoptions at www.commissioneadozioni.it or contact them at the following address:
COMMISSIONE PER LE ADOZIONI INTERNAZIONALI
presso la Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri
Via Barberini, 38 – 00187 ROMA
Tel: 06/42153252 – 06/42153253
Fax: 06/42153250