Privatisation
After World War II, IRI became one of the largest state conglomerates in the world, owning many diverse businesses such as the highway system, the flag carrier Alitalia and many banks, steel, food, chemicals and telecom companies. It was dismembered and privatized during the 1980s-1990s, and eventually dissolved in 2002. The Andreatta-Van Miert agreement marked a significant acceleration of privatization, which started in 1992. Despite some opinions to the contrary, the Treasury chose not to privatize the IRI SpA, but to dismember and sell its operating companies, this policy was inaugurated under the first government of Giuliano Amato and was never really put into question by Successive governments. In 1997 reached levels of indebtedness secured by the Andreatta-Van Miert, divestitures IRI continued however and the Institute had lost any function but to sell its assets and to move towards the settlement.
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