THE AMERICAN ITALIAN FOOD COALITION RELEASES “THE U.S. – ITALY STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP” REPORT
In the Coalition’s First Report, Group Explores Long-Standing Bilateral Relationship And Benefits
WASHINGTON - Today, following the release of the Biden Administration’s 2022 Trade Agenda, the American Italian Food Coalition (AIFC) released its AIFC report on “The U.S. – Italy Strategic Partnership”, outlining the long-standing strategic relationship and partnership between the United States and Italy and its impact on both nations. The report highlights those uniquely Italian food products that have added significant cultural value to the U.S., looks at the trade irritants between the U.S. and Italy, and examines the future of trade relations between the two countries.
The report states, “The need to continue a robust U.S.-Italy economic relationship must remain a top priority for the Biden Administration and Congress. As global trade continues to recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and supply chain disruptions, the U.S. and Italy are positioned to capitalize on this new opportunity to further advance both countries’ economic and social interests to promote transparent supply chains, democratic values, and combat abusive trade practices that threaten global stability.”
AIFC’s co-chairs Susan Molinari and Lucy Calautti released the following statement on the report:
“The robust relationship between the United States and Italy can be seen every day in our social, cultural and commercial bonds. Our two countries have celebrated 160 years of diplomatic relations together and we commend the Biden administration and its officials, like United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai, in their commitment to preserving these ties. This is a valuable report and is crucial in reflecting on the many benefits of the U.S.-Italy relationship while also strategically thinking ahead in terms of ongoing trade relations.”
Some key takeaways from the report include:
Since at least 2008, Italy is consistently one of the U.S.’s top 15 trading partners.
In 2020, one of the largest flows of exports of waffles and wafers was exports from Italy to the U.S., totally $59 million and accounting for 1.31 percent of world exports of waffles and wafers.
The cultural impacts of Italian American businesses providing authentic Italian cuisine daily to all Americans cannot be overstated. To highlight just one example of this, Americans drink 656 million cups of coffee per day 8, more than any other beverage including tap water.
American Italian Food Coalition (AIFC) members alone support 5.9 million jobs; $422.9 billion in economic output; $94.78 billion in taxes; and $1.8 billion in manufacturing.
The report concludes, “Since the Biden Administration has continually highlighted its intent to collaborate with allies, Italy cannot be overlooked in the broader European trade context. The U.S. and Italy must work intentionally to negotiate long-term solutions to resolve trade irritants, such as the Large Civil Aircraft dispute, and establish bilateral and multilateral agreements to enhance cooperation and avoid the need for any punitive actions.”
Read the report at https://www.aifcoalition.org/s/AIFCWhitePaper41.pdf
The American Italian Food Coalition is an alliance of more than 450 Italian companies, manufacturers, and trade associations dedicated to ensuring American consumers continue to have access to high-quality, affordable imported Italian products including pasta, coffee, biscuits, and wafers. For more information on the AIFC click HERE.
Media Contact:
press@aifcoalition.org
###