Palazzo Chigi: on tariffs finally a clear picture, committed to exempting agri-food

"The joint EU-US statement that formalised today the political understanding reached last 27 July in Scotland between President Von der Leyen and President Trump finally provides the business world with a clear picture of the new context of transatlantic trade relations." This was stated in a note from Palazzo Chigi. "This is not yet," it is stressed, "an ideal or final point of arrival, but some important milestones have already been reached, starting with avoiding a trade war and laying the foundations for mutually beneficial trade relations.

The note from Palazzo Chigi comes after the news of the detailed agreement on the new US tariffs regime vis-à-vis the EU, with a maximum and all-inclusive 15% tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports, including strategic sectors such as automobiles, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors and timber. Wine, an important item of our overseas exports, is not exempted.

The government, however," the note from Palazzo Chigi continues, "remains committed, together with the European Commission and the other EU member states, to further increasing the exempt product sectors, starting with the agri-food sector, in the coming months, as envisaged in the joint declaration". And 'particular commitment will be reserved at the same time for the conclusion of an agreement on steel and aluminium, also envisaged in the framework of the joint declaration'.

Following the agreement on the joint declaration between the European Union and the United States on tariffs, which follows the political understanding reached by President Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump on 27 July, on the instructions of Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, the Farnesina's Task Force on Tariffs will meet today at 6 p.m. The meeting will provide an update on the representatives of various production associations in detail, addressing the implications of the agreement for Italy's most strategic sectors, from automobiles to pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and timber.

"The tariffs agreement is an important step to bring stability to trade and to our strategic industries," said Minister Tajani. "Italy has always supported a constructive approach in the transatlantic dialogue, to the benefit of businesses, workers and sustainable growth". Today in the meeting of the Task Force on Tariffs, Tajani continued, "the contents of the Joint Declaration and the implications for all stakeholders will be discussed in detail". "This is not a point of arrival, but a first step towards a cooperation that will extend over time to new areas and will consolidate an economic and strategic alliance between the two sides of the Atlantic," he concluded.