The Italian Union Chambers of Commerce Industry and Handicraft - Unioncamere - is a public body which associates the 105 Italian Chambers of Commerce and Industry; Unioncamere represents the general interest of all Chambers of commerce and it assures the relationships with international, national and regional institutions and with business categories. Moreover Unioncamere operates to promote, set up and manage common activities and services for Chambers of commerce and economical interlocutors both directly or through its own specialized agencies. In order to achieve its mission Unioncamere may also participate to other public or even private organizations, bodies, corporations and societies.
Forecasting of labour market needs in Italy takes place through the Excelsior survey, which is conducted by the Italian Union of the Chambers of Commerce (Unioncamere) and funded by the Ministry of Labour (through the European Social Fund). This survey is part of the official statistics produced on an annual basis within the Italian National Statistical System (SISTAN).
Every year (since 1997) the survey covers a sample of over 100 ,000 private enterprises operating in Italy (180,000 private enterprises for quarterly survey) and provides detailed information on the characteristics of the labour demand in the country: in addition to the number of employees that the enterprises plan to recruit during the year and for next three months.