ROME: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni cleared her diary on Thursday to focus on the response to a hike in US tariffs on EU goods, as her government warned against a trade war. Meloni had late on Wednesday criticised the tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump as "wrong" and said Rome would do everything to seek a deal with Washington, warning that a trade war "would inevitably weaken the West in favour of other global actors". She gathered her key ministers on Thursday to discuss their approach and afterwards, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso called for calm.
"Responding to tariffs on goods with other tariffs on goods exacerbates the impact on the European economy," he told the Senate. "The first rule is not to harm ourselves further, triggering an escalation of retaliation that would unleash a devastating trade war. "We must react, yes, but in an intelligent way, remaining calm, to fully assess the direct and indirect consequences of the American measures and therefore the best response." Government ministers would meet in the coming days with business associations to discuss the situation, Urso said. — AFP
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