Italy has signed but not yet ratified Protocol No 13...

Italy has signed but not yet ratified Protocol No 13 to the European Convention on Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms banning the death penalty in all circumstances. Like its European Union partners, it refuses to send prisoners to countries where they could face the death penalty.
Italy has played a fundamental role in promoting internationally the initiative for a global moratorium on executions since 1994 when it raised the question at the UN General Assembly for the first time, presenting an apposite resolution. The fact that this resolution for a global moratorium on executions was defeated by only eight votes, led Italy to present a similar text at the UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), where it has been approved every year from 1997-2002.
In 1997 and 1998 the resolution was presented at the Commission directly by the Italian Government and approved by a large majority; while in 1999, to further strengthen the initiative and as expressly indicated by the Italian Senate (July 16, 1998), Italy decided to place the resolution in the hands of the European Union which was to present it first at the UNCHR and, subsequently, at the UN General Assembly.
The European Union took up the campaign on April 28, 1999, when the German EU Presidency presented the resolution for a global moratorium on executions at the UNCHR, where it was approved by an absolute majority (30 votes in favour, 11 against and 12 abstentions) and with a record number of 72 countries cosponsoring the initiative (as against 46 in 1997 and 65 in 1998).
In November 1999, the Finnish Presidency of the European Union presented the resolution for the moratorium at the General Assembly, but at the last moment the European Union decided not to put it to a final vote.