France and Italy to collaborate on 'Made in Europe' initiative

Paris - French Economy Minister Eric Lombard and Industry Minister Marc Ferracci are scheduled to meet with Italian Minister for Businesses Adolfo Urso in Paris on Thursday. The objective of this meeting is to establish common ground regarding the challenges facing the European industry and the concept of "Made in Europe."

The French ministers' offices informed journalists that their aim is to unite with Italy in advocating for the protection of European industries, intending to jointly present these concerns to Brussels. Among the topics slated for discussion is the survival of the European steel industry, which faces intense and, at times, unfair competition from China and the United States. The European Commission has indicated it will propose legislation in September to reduce steel imports into Europe by over 50 percent through various trade measures, a move supported by France.

Discussions between the ministers of both countries are also expected to cover the automotive industry, with a shared goal to boost demand for clean vehicles manufactured with European content. Additionally, they will address the concept of "European preference," particularly in public procurement.

The French Ministry of Economy and Finance noted that Italy is increasingly aligning with France on several policy positions, including nuclear energy, which Italy seeks to revive. Both France and Italy advocate for nuclear energy to be treated similarly to renewable energies within European legislation. The French ministers' offices further highlighted that competitiveness and technological neutrality are key areas of convergence with Italy. Thursday's meeting is being held at the Ministry of Economy and Finance as part of the annual ministerial meetings stipulated by the Quirinal Treaty, signed between the two countries in 2021.

This meeting follows a display of "shared commitment" and "strong convergence" between Giorgia Meloni and Emmanuel Macron during a lengthy one-on-one meeting in Rome in early June, which aimed to alleviate recent tensions that have intensified since Donald Trump's return to the White House.

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