Openness to international trade, European Union competitiveness, WTO reform, sustainable development, social and gender issues, and small-to-medium-sized firms are crucial themes of Italy's G20 presidency this year as well for the EU, Italy's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
"Italy supports the EU's trade policy stance, trusting that it will favour our export vocation and ensure the regular supply of raw materials, but also strengthen common trade defence instruments and promote our partners' compliance with their obligations, addressing incorrect behaviour," said the statement.
During an informal video conference of the EU Foreign Affairs Council on Trade, Italy's foreign minister Luigi Di Maio "reiterated to his European colleagues that Italy supports both the deepening of relations with neighbouring countries and the African continent," said the statement.
Italy also backs "the extension of the network of free trade agreements with Asia-Pacific and the 'Latin America, as well as the relaunch of transatlantic ties with the new American administration," the statement concluded.
