hest human development countries. Italy is a developed country because it is highly industrialized, highly efficient, and the people enjoy this high quality of life.There are 219 Internet service providers in Italy at this time. 23.1% of Italy’s population has a personal computer in the home. This was approximately 2,118,000 Lire spent on computers in 1999.A rebound in economic activity has been under way since mid-1999, stimulated by a recovery in external demand. Following an annual average rate of expansion of around 1 % over the past four years, GDP will pick up in 2002, based on accelerating world demand, a weaker euro, gradually increasing household disposable incomes, and improving business confidence. There is also employment growth. Unemployment has begun to fall from its currently high level. The underlying momentum of the economy, appears to be well-established and current growth rates of real output should be at least maintained into 2002.Import Licensing: Practically all goods originating in the U.S. can be imported without import licenses and free of quantitative restrictions. There are, however, monitoring measures applied to imports of certain sensitive products. Retail clothing is not one of them.Rulings by individual local customs authorities can be arbitrary or incorrect, resulting in denial or delays of entry of U.S. exports into the country. Considerable progress has been made in correcting these deficiencies, but problems do arise on a case-by-case basis. Most of the treaties in force between Italy and other countries follow the standard form of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The purpose of the treaties is to eliminate double taxation by taxing the income only in the country where it is earned through a permanent establishment. Most of the treaties are with developed countries, but in recent years several treaties with developing countries have been concluded. Regan sign...
