ON APCH INTO MILAN; ITALY; THE RPTR WAS THE FO PF AND THE CAPT WAS THE PNF HANDLING COM. UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE CTLR'S ACCENT. THE CTLR VECTORED THE FLT TO THE LOC AND GAVE WHAT THE FO HEARD AS 2000 FT. THE FO NOT SEEING THE CAPT RESPOND WITH SETTING THE ALT ALERTER; SET THE ALT ALERTER HIMSELF AND UNILATERALLY COMMENCED TO DSND. THE CTLR INTERVENED AND SAID TO RETURN TO 4000 FT.

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ON APCH INTO MILANO; ITALY; I WAS THE PF AND THE CAPT WAS HANDLING COMS WITH MILAN. WE HAD BEEN GIVEN SEVERAL INTERMEDIATE ALT STEP-DOWNS AND UNDERSTANDING THE CTLR'S INSTRUCTIONS/CLRNCS WAS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE CTLR'S ACCENT. WE WERE VECTORED TO JOIN THE LOC AND GIVEN A FURTHER DSCNT. I 'HEARD' 2000 FT. THE CAPT DID NOT SET OR CONFIRM THE ALT; SO I PUT IN 2000 FT. PASSING APPROX 3000 FT; THE CTLR INQUIRED AS TO OUR ALT. THE CAPT RPTED IT AND THE CTLR ASKED FOR AN IMMEDIATE CLB TO 4000 FT. WE (I) ARRESTED OUR DSCNT; CLBED TO 4000 FT WHERE WE INTERCEPTED THE GS AND CONTINUED THE APCH. HAVING BRIEFED THE APCH; I KNEW THE IAP ALT WAS 4000 FT; BUT ALSO KNEW THAT ON FINAL; 2000 FT GAVE US TERRAIN CLRNC. I STILL QUESTIONED (TO MYSELF) MOMENTARILY WHY THE CTLR WOULD GIVE US THAT ALT BUT ACCEPTED IT. BAD DECISION. EITHER I HAD MISHEARD THE CLRNC OR THE CTLR HAD MISSPOKEN THE CLRNC. EQUALLY WRONG; I THOUGHT I HAD HEARD IT CORRECTLY; BUT THE CAPT; HANDLING COMS; HAD NOT FULLY UNDERSTOOD THE CLRNC AND HAD NOT SET IN THE ALT IN THE WINDOW; PER POLICY. I NOW HAVE A TREMENDOUS REGARD FOR PROPER PROC AND MAKING CERTAIN ALL 3 CREW MEMBERS UNDERSTAND THE ASSIGNED ALT. ALSO TO QUESTION CLRNCS THAT DON'T COINCIDE WITH CHARTS.