Italy warns EU about ‘dangerous’ Trump-style tariff war. Calls for quick answers as Italy’s President warns against ‘trade wars’ and slams EU red tape.
Archive image of Donald Trump participating in an evenT at the White House.
Credit: Shutterstock, Chip Somodevilla
Italy has slammed Trump-style tariffs and EU red tape, with President Mattarella calling duties “unacceptable” and warning of a dangerous trade war. Ministers urge Brussels to act fast.
Italy’s President Sergio Mattarella has fired a warning shot at Brussels – slamming tariffs as “unacceptable” and urging the European Union to get its act together before trade tensions spiral out of control.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Agricoltura è (Agriculture Is) fair in Rome, the Head of State didn’t mince his words as he addressed students and delegates, calling on the EU to sharpen up its sluggish decision-making and respond with speed and clarity in a fast-moving global economy.
“We need quick and timely responses. Europe needs to update itself,” he declared, addressing the room with calm urgency.
Mattarella didn’t hold back when it came to tariffs, either. For export-driven countries like Italy, open markets are more than just economic policy – they’re absolutely crucial.
“Tariffs create obstacles to markets, obstacles to freedom of trade, alter markets, penalise quality products,” he said. “This is unacceptable for our country – and it should be for all countries in the world.”
But Mattarella wasn’t simply throwing punches. He made it clear that these so-called trade wars are just that – wars. And the consequences, he warned, can be just as damaging.
Keep calm and negotiate on
Despite his tough tone, Mattarella urged Europe to stay calm and composed in its response to America, saying the EU has the strength to push back without losing its head.
“Europe is a strong entity,” he insisted, encouraging Brussels to act “calmly, but also with determination” to counter what he called “an unmotivated choice” in slapping on duties.
European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen echoed the President’s measured approach, calling for de-escalation and a return to the negotiating table rather than knee-jerk retaliations.
“Every move for de-escalation is really necessary,” Hansen said, ahead of his visit to Rome for the Masaf village talks.
Ministers echo the message: firm but fair
Italy’s Minister of Agriculture, Francesco Lollobrigida, backed Mattarella’s call for a “firm and reasonable attitude,” stressing that no one wants the situation to escalate further.
Meanwhile, Minister of Enterprise and Made in Italy, Adolfo Urso, took a swipe at former US President Donald Trump’s approach, warning Europe not to fall into the dangerous trap of tit-for-tat retaliation.
“Let’s not imitate Trump’s moves,” Urso said at the Italy–Sweden Business Forum. “Let’s act to create our own energy policy, our own industrial policy, our own commercial policy.”
On the diplomatic front, EU Trade Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič is heading to Washington to meet with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Talks are expected to focus on easing rising tensions between the EU and US over trade rules.
There’s some cautious optimism, too. Vice President of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, expressed confidence in the power of dialogue to resolve the standoff.
“The path seems to me to be that of composition and dialogue,” he said.
The bottom line
Mattarella’s remarks may have ruffled some feathers in Brussels, but they reflect growing frustration across Europe with sluggish EU bureaucracy and its lack of agility in times of crisis. Does Europe need to move fast, stand firm, and speak with one voice before the tariff tempers boil over?
Get more news from around Europe.
Get more Italian news in English.
