An intense and particularly significant week for relations between Italy and the United States ended yesterday afternoon with the videoconference between the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Luigi Di Maio, and the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), Katherine Tai.
While recalling the very positive results of the recent visit to Washington, Minister Di Maio emphasized the common interest in leveraging the excellent bilateral partnership to develop an increasingly close and effective commercial collaboration.
The transatlantic relations – Minister Di Maio said – are strategic also under the economic perspective. Therefore, such relations deserve full support within the European framework to promote a favourable and more advantageous commercial agenda between the E.U. and the United States. Among the main issues discussed during the meeting, Minister Di Maio reiterated that he favourably welcomed the agreement reached between the European Commission and the Biden Administration on the suspension of duties relevant to the Airbus/Boeing dispute damaging important sectors of Made in Italy. although Italy does not participate in the Airbus consortium.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also hoped that convergence could be found with the United States on the duties imposed on steel and aluminium imports. Minister Di Maio expressed appreciation for the new American willingness to reach an agreement within the OECD on the taxation of digital services.
An equally significant fact was the joint confirmation of the commitment to collaborate to reform the World Trade Organization, promote economic recovery after the pandemic, and increase vaccine supplies.
Finally, Minister Di Maio invited the U.S. Trade Representative Tai to participate in the G20 Trade Ministerial Meeting he will chair on October 12 in Sorrento.