Today, Italian Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Maria Tripodi participated in the Foreign Affairs Council for Trade meeting in Brussels, by proxy of Italian Deputy Prime Minister Antonio Tajani.
The agenda included the future of European trade policy with reference to the free trade agreements currently under negotiation, EU-US trade relations, and the reform of the World Trade Organisation.
In her speech, the Undersecretary emphasised the importance of free trade agreements as a means of opening up new markets for European goods and ensuring the security of supply chains. She also highlighted Italy’s support for the Commission’s negotiations with numerous trading partners and hoped for their swift conclusion.
On the subject of EU-US trade relations, the Undersecretary emphasised the importance of maintaining an open dialogue with her counterpart in the United States, which, in addition to being an essential ally, is the Union’s largest trading partner.
On the subject of the World Trade Organisation, the Italian side expressed the importance of achieving a reform that could relaunch the multilateral trade system, based on rules and a level playing field in the markets.
