- Title: Italians slam U.S. tariffs as a "twisted idea"
- Date: 3rd October 2019
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (OCTOBER 3, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF GROCER AT ITALIAN DELI SLICING PROSCIUTTO HAM GROCER / HAM HUNG UP IN DELI GROCER PLACES HAM ON SCALES HAM ON DISPLAY IN DELI HAM ON DISPLAY / SIGN READING (Italian): "PROSCIUTTO HAM FROM NORCIA" (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT, ANGELO COLAPICCHIONI, SAYING: "I think that countries who are friendly should not make decisions like this that go against each other, because we are part of a community that has always respected the U.S." VARIOUS OF PARMESAN REGGIANO AND ROMANO (BOTH WILL BE TAXED) ON DISPLAY AND CLIENTS WAITING TO BE SERVED (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT, ALESSANDRA, SAYING: "I can't understand what the reason would be to do this because I don't think there are problems between the U.S. and Italy on the subject of tariffs on Italian goods. So it is something that has no reason (behind it). But we are living in a time where more or less nothing makes sense. The easiest things are made difficult." (SOUNDBITE) (Italian) ROME RESIDENT, LUCIA QUADRINI, SAYING: "The tariffs put forward by the U.S., if you mean those, are a twisted idea by the president of the United States (President Donald Trump). Because they lose and we lose. There is no actual gain in either part. We are going to have higher prices, Americans go crazy about Italian goods, so they will buy them." SPECIALTY CHEESE SIGN IN DELI GROCER BEHIND COUNTER WITH PARMESAN AND ROMANO CHEESE ON DISPLAY / PROSCIUTTO HAM BEHIND COUNTER PARMESAN AND ROMANO ON DISPLAY PROSCIUTTO HAM HANGING QUALITY LABELS ON ITALIAN GOODS VARIOUS OF CHEESE ON DISPLAY WITH QUALITY LABELS VARIOUS OF GROCER HOLDING LONG SLICE OF PROSCIUTTO HAM
- Embargoed: 17th October 2019 11:48
- Keywords: tariffs Italian good hit by tariffs parmesan Italy U.S. tarrifs European Union Italian cheese United States Italian food Italian meat
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA001AZJMTZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Rome residents on Thursday (October 3) slammed a decision by the U.S. government to slap tariffs on European Union products including Italian cheese, describing it as a "twisted idea".
The United States announced on Wednesday (October 2) it would slap 10% tariffs on European-made Airbus planes and 25% duties on French wine, Scotch and Irish whiskies, and cheese from across the continent as punishment for illegal EU aircraft subsidies
Some Italian foods -- Parmesan Reggiano, Romano and provolone cheese -- were hit with tariffs as were Italian fruits, clams and yogurt. Italian media reported that ham will also be hit.
People shopping in a small deli selling prosciutto ham and cheese in central Rome were frustrated by the news.
"It is something that has no reason (behind it). But we are living in a time where more or less nothing makes sense," Rome resident Alessandra told Reuters.
A cheesemaking consortium said that U.S. consumers will pay around $5 a kilogram more for Italian Parmesan cheese because of the tariffs, complaining it was set to take an unfair hit in the trade spat.
However, Rome resident Lucia Quadrini believed Americans would still buy Italian goods regardless of the price.
"Americans go crazy about Italian goods, so they will buy them," she said.
The tariffs are set to come into force on October 18.
(Production: Cristano Corvino, Emily Roe) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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