The European Union’s recent trade deal with the United States may have averted a damaging tariff war, but it has already sparked tension with Italy over the treatment of hard cheese exports.
Rome has accused certain U.S. customs authorities of breaching the agreement by imposing a 30 per cent duty on products such as Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano. The Italian government has appealed to Brussels for support, arguing that the measures contradict the accord reached late last month between U.S. President Donald Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, which set tariffs on EU cheese imports at 15 per cent.
Italy’s foreign ministry lodged complaints in both Washington and Brussels, stressing the need for “timely implementation of the agreements reached” and calling for guarantees to safeguard Italian exports. Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani vowed to “use every means at our disposal to protect our businesses, our workers and our manufacturing excellence.”
Producers said some customs offices, including those at the ports of New York and New Jersey, had begun requesting higher tariffs since the new trade rules came into effect on 7 August. Brussels confirmed the correct rate is 15 per cent and pledged to raise the issue with U.S. authorities.
The European Commission has meanwhile started implementing its share of the agreement by proposing tariff reductions on a range of U.S. industrial products, with the expectation that Washington will lower car tariffs to 15 per cent from the current 27.5 per cent.
Italy exports roughly $500 million worth of cheese to the U.S. each year, about 40,000 tonnes. Nicola Bertinelli, president of the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium, suggested the confusion stems from overlapping tariff quotas. U.S. customs had correctly applied the 15 per cent rate on most imports, but in some cases imposed both the quota levy and the percentage tariff, doubling the charge.
Stefano Berni, head of the Grana Padano consortium, warned that up to a third of Italian hard cheese exports could be affected. He expressed confidence that Italian and EU diplomacy would swiftly resolve what he called a “major misunderstanding.”
