ROME – Minister for Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, was far less polite than his Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, a public ally of President Trump, when discussing the effects of tariffs place by the US on Italian products. 

 "History teaches us that when economic interests converge, the critical issues in the relationships between countries is minor,” - said Lollobrigida, when interviewed by the press. “We are now trying to find a balance [between these two things]. But the WTO, which in the past was the body responsible for guaranteeing that balance, is no longer able to regulate world market dynamics".

 He continued stating that, the USA and EU "must look toward the common interest and take into account their strategic alliance. Among the values ​​that unite them there is also that of the market". The agricultural industry is set to be heavily affected by the duties of Donald Trump, in particular the wine industry.  According to the minister, on the other hand, "only the EU can make a deal and we fully support Commissioner Maros Sefcovic, who is now in Washington to negotiate. The important thing is that that negotiation table does not multiply the aggression. A good compromise must be found, because only the common market can make us both stronger". 

 As for the position of Lega, which does not want European negotiations, Lollobrigida underlined that "the rules of the treaties are: on foreign trade one must deal with the EU, not the individual nations. This does not exclude creating agreements between Italy and the USA but instead always creating them in line with the European perspective. Certainly, not with the intention to weaken it". 

 On the consequential impact on wine exports he followed with, "if needed, we will support the sector, even economically. We are able to shoulder any type of crisis, but our first priority is to avoid the crisis entirely". He continued that the prospective of duties of 200% on wine is "alarming, but the US administration seems to me to have already made its position less rigid. I remember that on March 31st the European duties on the Bourbon and the American whiskey were to be launched, but instead they were fortunately postponed. We hope that Washington decides to do the same for the wine".

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