Italy backs European Union's tariffs on Chinese electric cars

Italy backs tariffs proposed by the European Commission on Chinese exports of electric vehicles (EVs), Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in an interview published on Monday before he met China's commerce minister in Rome.

"We support the duties that the EU Commission proposes, to protect the competitiveness of our companies," Tajani told daily Corriere della Sera in an interview.

Minister Wang Wentao is visiting Europe for discussions on the European Union's anti-subsidy case against China-made EVs as the vote on more tariffs looms. He held talks with Tajani in Rome on Monday but a statement from the Italian foreign ministry made no direct reference to EVs.

The two men discussed the protection of intellectual property, trade in the agri-food sector and investment, Tajani said in the statement. They also discussed the war in Ukraine and the crises in Gaza and the Red Sea, with Italy calling on Beijing to help tackle the issue of the arms supplies to Russia and the safety of shipping in the Red Sea.

Wentao will hold talks with the European Commission's Executive Vice President and Trade Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis on September 19.

"We want to work on a trade plan based on equality, we demand equal access for our products in their markets. Our companies must compete on equal terms," Tajani said in the interview, ideas he reiterated during the meeting.

Italy initially supported tariffs in a non-binding vote of EU members in July but Industry Minister Adolfo Urso told Reuters last week that he expected a negotiated solution. Italy remains a major carmaker, home to brands including Fiat, part of the Stellantis group. It has also been seeking to woo Chinese carmakers including Dongfeng and Chery Auto to open factories in order to raise vehicle output.

In the newspaper interview, Tajani added that his position did not compromise Italy's "good relations" with China. At the end of July, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited China, to boost co-operation with the world's second-largest economy and reset trade ties after leaving the Belt and Road infrastructure investment scheme.

President Sergio Mattarella is scheduled to visit China later this year, with Tajani part of the delegation. The European Commission is on the brink of proposing final tariffs of up to 35.3% on EVs built in China, on top of the EU's standard 10 per cent car import duty.