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Italy Urges US to Stick to EU Trade Deal on Cheese Tariffs
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on August 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 22, 2026
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Italy urges the US to adhere to an EU trade deal on cheese tariffs, addressing concerns over excessive customs charges on imports like Grana Padano.
Italy Calls on US to Honor EU Trade Agreement on Cheese Tariffs
Italy's Concerns Over US Tariffs
ROME (Reuters) -Italy said some U.S. customs authorities have requested tariffs above the rate agreed with the European Union on imports such as Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses, and that it was seeking guarantees the lower figure will be applied.
The United States and European Union last week locked in a framework trade deal reached in July that includes a 15% U.S. tax on most imports from the 27-nation EU.
"Italy has always supported a frank and constructive dialogue with the United States and will continue to do so by insisting on the proper application of the agreement," Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a statement on Wednesday.
Impact on Italian Cheese Exports
"We will protect our businesses, our workers, and our manufacturing excellence by every means at our disposal."
Government's Response and Actions
The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium said in a separate statement that some of its exports to the U.S. had been wrongly subjected to extra customs charges.
"The Foreign Ministry has requested guarantees on the correct application of the EU-US agreement on tariffs because a duty exceeding 15% was applied at customs on some batches of Parmigiano Reggiano", consortium president Nicola Bertinelli said.
The U.S. Embassy press office in Rome did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
Italy has raised the issue with the U.S. Embassy and the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade in Brussels, as well as alerting the Italian Embassy in Washington, the foreign ministry added.
(Writing by Francesca Piscioneri; additional reporting by Elisa Anzolin in Milan; editing by Keith Weir and Mark Heinrich)
Key Takeaways
- •Italy urges US to honor EU trade deal on cheese tariffs.
- •Concerns over US customs charging above agreed rates.
- •Italy seeks guarantees for correct tariff application.
- •Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium reports extra charges.
- •Italy raises issue with US and EU authorities.
Frequently Asked Questions about Italy urges US to stick to EU trade deal on cheese tariffs
1What tariffs has Italy raised concerns about?
Italy has raised concerns about U.S. customs authorities applying tariffs above the agreed rate with the EU on imports such as Grana Padano and Parmigiano Reggiano cheeses.
2What is the agreed tariff rate between the US and EU?
The agreed tariff rate is a 15% U.S. tax on most imports from the 27-nation EU, as part of a framework trade deal.
3How has Italy responded to the tariff issues?
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stated that Italy will insist on the proper application of the agreement and has raised the issue with the U.S. Embassy and the European Commission.
4What specific actions has the Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium taken?
The Parmigiano Reggiano Consortium reported that some of its exports to the U.S. were wrongly subjected to extra customs charges.
5Who has Italy alerted regarding the tariff discrepancies?
Italy has alerted the U.S. Embassy, the European Commission's Directorate-General for Trade in Brussels, and the Italian Embassy in Washington about the tariff discrepancies.
