EU must act swiftly to avert Trump's tariff clash, urges Italy
Italian Minister Adolfo Urso warns of a "devastating trade war" between the EU and the USA following Donald Trump's decision to impose tariffs. He emphasizes that the European Union must immediately adjust its economic policy and initiate dialogue with Washington to prevent tensions from escalating.
In an interview, Adolfo Urso, Minister for Enterprises and Made in Italy, told La Stampa that the European Union could not afford to escalate trade tensions with the USA after Donald Trump imposed tariffs on goods from Canada, Mexico, and China.
Urso stated that Trump has a clear mandate from his country to reinforce American dominance, rejuvenate the industry, and strengthen the job market in the United States.
He added that the EU needs to take immediate steps to adjust its economic and environmental policies in response to the shifting geopolitical landscape.
Minister calls for dialogue
The minister called for initiating dialogue with Washington to avoid a "devastating trade war," emphasizing that the USA is Italy's second-most important trading partner after Germany. He noted that the sectors of luxury goods and food products branded as Made in Italy are especially significant, which Americans "absolutely do not want to give up."
Urso expressed hope for collaboration between the EU and the Trump administration, emphasizing that the American president respects Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, the only European leader invited to his inauguration.
The Italian minister also criticized the earlier U.S. policy under Barack Obama, which – in his opinion – aimed to create a duopoly with China, shifting Washington's attention from Europe to the Pacific. As he noted, Europe has an opportunity to rebuild transatlantic relations and strengthen its position in the Mediterranean region.
Referring to the situation within the Union, Urso stated that the Green Deal collapsed in Berlin and predicted that Germany would confirm this in the upcoming parliamentary elections on February 23. In his opinion, a "front of reason" is growing in Europe, and the ideological approach to economic and climate policy is gradually losing significance.
