The Pax Silica agreement with the US, aimed at countering China, is being signed today in Brindisi: here’s what it’s all about

Italy and the United States are today signing the Pax Silica declaration in Brindisi. This strategic cooperation initiative – which Italy is joining at the instigation of Minister Antonio Tajani – aims to strengthen coordination between international partners and the private sector in key segments of the supply chains for advanced technologies.

The focus is specifically on semiconductors, artificial intelligence and the critical minerals required for their development. The aim is to foster an ecosystem conducive to the advancement of these sectors and to reduce dependence on individual exporting countries such as China. The declaration will be signed by Ambassador Armando Varricchio, the Foreign Minister’s Special Envoy for Innovation and New Technologies, and the US Ambassador to Italia, Tilman Fertitta. The signing ceremony will also be attended by representatives from institutions in Brindisi and the Puglia Region.

The signing forms part of the growing collaboration between Italia and the United States on the topics of innovation, artificial intelligence and strategic technologies, as demonstrated by Minister Tajani’s participation in early February at the first political summit on critical minerals held in Washington and organised by Secretary of State Rubio, during which Italia announced its intention to join the initiative. The European Commission has already signed the Pax Silica Declaration in relation to matters falling within the European Union’s remit. 

In welcoming the signing in Brindisi, Minister Tajani emphasised that ‘by joining Pax Silica, Italia is reaffirming its political commitment to working with the United States and other partners to promote the development of production process technologies. This collaboration will have a significant positive impact on our businesses and will strengthen our security and the unity of the West’.