Latest news with #FrancescoLollobrigida
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Eritrea: President Isaias Afwerki Meets with High-Level Italian Delegation
President Isaias Afwerki met, at Denden Guest House in mid-afternoon hours today, the Italian delegation led Mr. Francesco Lollobrigida, Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forests; and Mr. Edmondo Cirielli, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The extensive discussions centered on enhancement of bilateral ties and partnership as part and parcel and continuation of the concrete areas of cooperation on various sectors that had been reached between President Isaias Afwerki and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Italy in February 2024 last year. The broad areas of cooperation include the sectors of energy, mining; physical infrastructure; manufacturing; Agriculture, Marine Resources, Tourism, Culture and Sports, Human capital development, economic cooperation and finance. The two sides also discussed regional peace, security and stability. A Comprehensive Plan of Action on Bilateral Cooperation Between the State of Eritrea and the Italian Republic (as specified above) was signed after the meeting by Mr. Nesredin Mohamed, Eritrea's Minister of Trade and Industry; and Mr. Edmondo Cirielli, Italy's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. The two sides further agreed to hold continuous meetings in Eritrea and Italy in the period ahead to monitor and expedite the implementation of the Cooperation Agreement. In a brief statement to the Eritrean News Agency, Minister Francesco Lollobrigida underlined that the progress achieved today reflects the initial tangible step in the efforts that have been exerted in Asmara and Rome to enhance bilateral cooperation. The meeting was attended by Mr. Hagos Gebrehiwet, Head of Economic Affairs of the PFDJ, and Mr. Alfonso Di Riso, Ambassador of Italy to Eritrea. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.
Euractiv
10-07-2025
- Business
- Euractiv
Born in the USA: Italy's curious bresaola pitch to dodge US tariffs
Italian Agriculture Minister Francesco Lollobrigida has backed a plan to make Italian bresaola using U.S. beef and ship it back to America – a proposal that grabbed headlines but appears to breach EU trade rules. At the heart of the story is the bresaola, a prized Italian cured meat made from salted, air-dried beef, which holds Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) status. Around 90% of the beef currently used in the production of this famous Italian specialty comes from South America – primarily zebu cattle from Brazil and Uruguay – chosen for their quality and reliable supply. In the broader context of ongoing trade tensions, EU farmers' opposition to the Mercosur agreement, and US pressure on the EU to reduce its trade surplus, Lollobrigida floated an idea that quickly went viral. ' If the US gives us beef to make bresaola, we can then re-export it. That's a binding agreement which allows us to import more meat from the US,' he said earlier this week. The suggestion drew a mix of confusion and ridicule, prompting Lollobrigida to later clarify that the proposal did not originate from him personally, but was shared with him by industry stakeholders. "I'm just relaying it," he told Italian media. Against EU rules But there's a catch. Legal experts warn that such a move may be incompatible with EU law. Mariagrazia Alabrese, professor of agri-food law at the Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies in Pisa, told Euractiv that Italy cannot unilaterally enter into such an agreement with the United States. Under the EU Treaties, she explained, trade policy is an exclusive competence of the European Union. " If all 27 EU member states started striking individual deals, the idea of a single market would collapse," she said. Under current trade agreements, she added, o nly meat from approved countries and facilities complying with EU restrictions – for example, on hormones and treatments like chlorine washes – can be used in food production within the bloc, even if the product is exclusively for export. ' T he EU simply cannot import that kind of US beef,' she concluded, arguing that a bilateral EU-US agreement would still have to comply with all existing EU food safety laws. However, for Davide Calderone, director of the Italian meat processing association ASSICA, Lollobrigida's suggestion is nothing new– and is feasible. " If we import the meat under a re-export condition, a dedicated procedure would need to be established – approved at EU level – to ensure that none of it enters the internal market,' he said. He called the use of American beef an "opening" at a time of complex negotiation on tariffs. "It might also benefit US producers by giving them access to the Italian market", he concluded. (cs, adm, aw)
Bloomberg
30-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
US Plans to Boost Soy Exports to Italy and Form New Task Force
Italy will increase its imports of US soybeans as part of a new effort to rebalance trade between the two countries, US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told reporters Monday after meeting with her Italian counterpart. The US and Italy are forming a new task force that will promote agricultural trade between the two countries, Rollins and Italian Agricultural Minister Francesco Lollobrigida said after a meeting in Washington. Italy has already started boosting its purchases of US soybeans, according to Rollins.
Bloomberg
06-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Washington's Global Hunt to Find Buyers for US Crops
A visit to the UK in May, Italy this week and Asia to come. Brooke Rollins is touring the world to drum up buyers for American crops. A few days ago, the US agriculture secretary held talks with her 'wonderful' Italian counterpart Francesco Lollobrigida about selling more wheat and soybeans to Europe. When in London, she lauded agricultural products as the 'crown jewel' of US exports. She's scheduled to visit Japan, Vietnam and India, and her officials will also be ticking off Peru next week.
Maroc
23-04-2025
- Business
- Maroc
Italian Agriculture Minister Hails Morocco's Regional Leadership in Water Management
Italian agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida praised Morocco's regional leadership, on Tuesday in Meknes, and its key role in Euro-mediterranean cooperation and addressing global challenges, particularly water management. Following bilateral talks with his Moroccan counterpart Ahmed El Bouari, on the sidelines of the International Agricultural Show in Morocco (SIAM), the Italian Minister commended the exemplary organization of what he called an "extremely significant" event for the environment, sustainable development, and interregional cooperation. Reaffirming Italy's commitment to strengthening bilateral synergies, Lollobrigida said he was willing to deepen cooperation in promoting shared activities, supporting businesses, and enhancing product quality. The Italian official also welcomed the theme devoted to water management chosen for this edition, which he described as "a great moment of exchange around one of our planet's major priorities." Under the High Patronage of HM King Mohammed VI, SIAM 2025 runs from April 21 to 27 in Meknes, hosting 1,500 exhibitors from 70 countries under the theme "Agriculture and the Rural World: Water at the Heart of Sustainable Development." MAP: 22 avril 2025
