His comments came at the annual assembly of retail group Confcommercio.
“I greet with satisfaction the announcement made today by the EU Commission of duties on the entry of Chinese electric cars into Europe in order to protect European production,” he said.
“[It is being done] in the full knowledge that we also have the possibility of reaffirming the Italian automotive industry in Italy.
“[It’s] one of the driving sectors of our country’s industrial development that we absolutely do not want to give up.”
Meanwhile, car manufacturer Stellantis on Wednesday came out against the EU’s decision amid a looming trade war.
The Italo-Franco-US carmaker said it believed in free and fair competition on a global scale and did not therefore “support measures that contribute to the fragmentation of the world”.
“Stellantis is agile in adapting and taking advantage of any scenario and today’s announcement of the duties will not discourage our overall strategy vis a vis Leapmotor (its Chinese e-car unit) in Europe,” it said via a statement.
“We [had already] taken this potential development into account.”
ANSA
