{"id":204429,"date":"2026-09-13T09:33:42","date_gmt":"2026-09-13T07:33:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/sala_stampa\/archivionotizie\/\/2026\/09\/il-futuro-dellexport-tajani-accelerare-sul-mercosur-lunica-via-e-diversificare-il-sole-24-ore\/"},"modified":"2026-09-14T10:05:23","modified_gmt":"2026-09-14T08:05:23","slug":"il-futuro-dellexport-tajani-accelerare-sul-mercosur-lunica-via-e-diversificare-il-sole-24-ore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/sala_stampa\/archivionotizie\/interviste\/2026\/09\/il-futuro-dellexport-tajani-accelerare-sul-mercosur-lunica-via-e-diversificare-il-sole-24-ore\/","title":{"rendered":"The Future of Exports – Tajani: “We Need to Accelerate on Mercosur. Diversification Is the Only Way” (Il sole 24 ORE)"},"content":{"rendered":"

“We Now Need to Step up in Mercosur Markets – Diversification Is the Only Way”<\/strong><\/p>\n

THE MISSION
\nThere is a strong appetite for Made in Italy products in Argentina and Brazil. We were the first to discuss development and trade opportunities.<\/p>\n

THE RESULTS
\nTwo agreements have been signed with the Argentine government to support companies in the fields of raw materials and industrial policy.<\/p>\n

THE STRATEGY
\nThe US market is still important, but we need to look around and seize the opportunities provided by every market.<\/p>\n

CHINA’S PRESENCE
\nWe need to compete on quality. With strong alliances and effective strategies, we can achieve excellent results.<\/p>\n

Italy’s government mission to Argentina and Brazil – two of Mercosur’s main markets – was built around teamwork between the government and companies. Judging by the final figures, it was the first half of a match that had every chance of ending, in football terms, with three points for the away team: in this case, Made in Italy products. Latin America is a priority for Italian foreign policy, both politically and economically, with a relationship strengthened by the presence of large Italian communities. In this interview, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, delivers a clear message: “Now, based on the results achieved through this mission (including 1,300 business-to-business meetings in Buenos Aires alone) we must not waste any time. We need to step up as much as possible in the markets of the Mercosur countries. But not only there: the key word is diversification of our exports.”<\/p>\n

Minister Tajani, why do you believe it is important to focus on Latin America? Is this a market that can provide significant opportunities to our companies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I came back to Italy with the awareness – further strengthened by this experience – that both Argentina and Brazil have an extraordinary appetite for Italy. Everyone was impressed by the fact that we were the first to come and discuss development and trade opportunities after the EU-Mercosur agreement. Argentine President Milei spent an hour and a half talking to us about industrial policy.<\/p>\n

The interim trade agreement has been provisionally implemented since May 1, and it is now mid-September. Choosing to move ahead of the competition in these markets, particularly in today’s complex international and geopolitical scenario, was a bold decision.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It proved to be the winning approach. We signed two very important agreements with the Argentine government that will enable us to provide even greater support to our companies. The first concerns raw materials, while the second concerns industrial policy.<\/p>\n

Which sectors are attracting the attention of Argentine and Brazilian companies?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I would say agrifood, pharmaceuticals and medical products, as well as the energy transition, machinery and industrial plant engineering, and digital technologies. There is also considerable interest in the defence sector. But this is only one side of the coin.<\/p>\n

What is the other side?<\/strong><\/p>\n

During this mission, Argentine and Brazilian business leaders also expressed an interest in investing in our country. This is the reason why we are ready to organize a meeting in Italy with Brazilian entrepreneurs after the elections. The first round will be held on October 4. But our work on “new markets” is continuing. Turkey, for example, is showing great interest in Italy, and next month we will organize a business forum with Turkish representatives in Rome. Then there will be the Dominican Republic, followed by Canada, with an event organised in Toronto at the end of October. At the end of the year, the annual meeting of Italian ambassadors will be held at the Milan Trade Fair, including business-to-business meetings between entrepreneurs and diplomats.<\/p>\n

Argentina, Brazil, Turkey, the Dominican Republic and Canada: is the strategy to look in several different directions?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The word “diversification” defines our strategy. In addition to Mercosur, we are looking at India, Japan and South Korea, as well as the Balkans and – through the Mattei Plan – African countries. Made in Italy has a characteristic that enables it to move in this direction.<\/p>\n

What is this characteristic?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We are adaptable and flexible. Thanks to our great flexibility and broad product diversification, we can occupy the largest possible number of market niches. After China, Italy is the country with the greatest ability to bring a wide variety of different products to market. We are also working with other countries and the European Commission to promote new agreements, such as the one with India.<\/p>\n

You mentioned China. Its economic presence in Latin America has grown exponentially over the past two decades. How can we address this kind of competition?<\/strong><\/p>\n

We need to compete on quality, which is our trump card. With strong alliances and effective strategies, we can achieve excellent results.<\/p>\n

There are many people of Italian descent in Argentina and Brazil. Can this help us grow in those markets?<\/strong><\/p>\n

There is great interest in Italian culture and traditions throughout Latin America. Cooperation in these areas and in sport – sectors that are increasingly becoming drivers of growth and innovation – was a key focus of the mission. Argentina is home to the largest Italian community abroad, with more than one million Italian citizens and around 20 million people of Italian descent. This human heritage is one of the cornerstones of relations between the two countries. During the mission, a framework agreement on international cooperation and co-production was signed between the Teatro di San Carlo<\/em> and Teatro Col\u00f3n<\/em>. It provides for joint artistic initiatives, exchanges and training projects until 2029, thus further strengthening the deep cultural ties between Italy and Argentina. President Milei asked us to arrange for conductor Riccardo Muti to perform in Buenos Aires. From November 28 to December 6, Italy will be a featured participant at the 40th Guadalajara International Book Fair, the most important event devoted to Spanish-language publishing and one of the world’s leading events in the sector.<\/p>\n

The EU-Mercosur free trade agreement is the largest free trade agreement ever negotiated by the European Commission, strongly encouraged by Italy. What role can the EU now play as Europe seeks to gain new shares of these markets?<\/strong><\/p>\n

The EU – and particularly the European Commission – is the body truly responsible for trade policy. When I was a European Commissioner, I organized growth missions. The EU could assist European companies and support them in their search for new trade opportunities and export markets.<\/p>\n

Especially because increasing restrictions on free trade, beginning with the tariff policy promoted by US President Trump, are harmful to everyone.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is precisely the reason why we moved early and adopted a diversification strategy. The US market clearly remains important, but we need to look around and seize the opportunities provided by all markets. Exports were and still are one of the flagship achievements of the government’s policies. We have reached the record figure of \u20ac650 billion, and the goal is to reach \u20ac700 billion by the end of next year. This means that exports currently account for between 30% and 40% of Italy’s gross domestic product. Since we are Europe’s second-largest industrial power and have become the world’s fourth-largest trading power, we wanted to provide our exports with a clear strategy during a period marked by tariff wars and the conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.<\/p>\n

Within this export-diversification strategy, what role does India play for Italy, particularly with regard to the IMEC corridor?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Like Mercosur, India is an extraordinary opportunity. The trade agreement concluded by the European Union will undoubtedly increase exports to that country, with which we have excellent relations. We have already organized many business forums. The IMEC corridor is another extraordinary opportunity because it will connect India to the Middle East and the Gulf countries, passing through Egypt before reaching the Mediterranean. One of its terminals will be the Port of Trieste, thus benefiting all the ports in the Adriatic region.<\/p>\n

Some categories of motorcycles and leather luggage products have complained that they receive no benefits from the EU-Mercosur agreement. Is there scope for revising the agreement in their favour?<\/strong><\/p>\n

In order to reach an agreement, the two sides excluded certain “sensitive” sectors from tariff reductions. Evidently, the South American parties excluded the sectors mentioned above because their respective industries felt highly threatened. That does not mean everything must remain blocked forever. The agreement already provides for the possibility of further liberalization, which will need to be negotiated. We have taken note of the legitimate concerns raised by certain Italian manufacturing sectors and are pursuing their requests in both Italy and the EU.<\/p>\n

Countries Involved<\/p>\n

The EU-Mercosur agreement is the largest free trade agreement ever negotiated by the European Commission. The agreement covers 31 countries, approximately 730 million consumers and a combined GDP equal to one-quarter of global GDP. It provides for the liberalization of tariff lines accounting for more than 90% of EU exports.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"“We Now Need to Step up in Mercosur Markets – Diversification Is the Only Way” THE MISSION There is a strong appetite for Made in Italy products in Argentina and Brazil. We were the first to discuss development and trade opportunities. THE RESULTS Two agreements have been signed with the Argentine government to support companies […]","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":204398,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[398,3,28],"class_list":["post-204429","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interviste","tag-america-latina-e-caraibi","tag-diplomazia-economica","tag-ministro"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204429","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=204429"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204429\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":204432,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/204429\/revisions\/204432"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/204398"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=204429"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=204429"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esteri.it\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=204429"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}