MIUR ( the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research) is the Institution which controls all research in Italy, located in Rome , the capital of the Country. Therefore projects in all areas of research are coordinated by MIUR as forseen by the National Research Plans . The unit of the Ministry which will be in charge for this particular project is the Unit of International Research ( Head Dr. Gioacchino Fonti) and the person following it Dr. Riccardo Carelli , responsible for ERA-net projects. The group of reference will be coordinated by Prof. Marcello Buiatti.

The Ministry of Education, University and Research (Ministero della pubblica Istruzione, Università e Ricerca, MIUR) is the coordinating Institution of Research in Italy and fully represents Italy at the international level as far as research and education is concerned. It supports most of the Italian projects on Biodiversity Research both concerning basic issues and applied ones, directly or through the Italian National Research Council and the Ministry of Agricultural Policies.

MIUR is a promoter and participant to the Italian Biodiversity Platform that includes the Ministry of Environment, the Ministry of Agricultural Policies and the major scientific associations of disciplines dealing with Biodiversity Research. The Italian Bioplatform, whose first general assembly is scheduled in autumn 2004, will be a very valuable tool for the acquirement of information needed for the present project.

Moreover the Italian Bioplatform is linked to the European Bioplatform and EPBRS

Biodiversity research and related
Italy’s public research expenditure amounts 1% of the GNP Biodiversity research projects are scattered in several areas also regarding other ministries although always co-ordinated by the MIUR itself. The main areas of reference are those of the Ministry of Environment , the Ministry of Agricultural Policies, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, particularly as far as co-operation with developing Countries is concerned. It will be one of the first goal of the Italian project to draw a precise summary on ongoing research in the field of cooperation with all the mentioned agencies.