Why it matters: Washington is accelerating efforts to build a trusted supply chain for critical minerals — a cornerstone of energy transition, defence production and advanced technologies — while allies are signalling caution over governance, trade rules and industrial impacts.
The meeting: U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Lee Greer convened today a virtual meeting with trade ministers from partner countries to present a proposal for a dedicated free trade area focused on critical minerals.
- The proposal reflects a broader U.S. strategy to “friend-shore” critical mineral supply chains away from China, but it risks friction with allies wary of fragmented trade regimes.
- For Europe — and especially industrial powers like Italy — the challenge is balancing strategic autonomy with transatlantic alignment.
- Italy was represented in the latest session by Undersecretary of State for Foreign Affairs Maria Tripodi.
Zoom in: Italy’s position. Rome signaled openness — but not a blank check.
- Italy expressed readiness for “constructive negotiations” to strengthen transatlantic cooperation, in line with the EU-U.S. Joint Declaration issued last August and the broader European position.
- Officials stressed the urgency of reducing strategic industries’ dependence on Chinese critical materials through rapid, concrete measures and frank dialogue among allies.
- At the same time, Italy requested more detailed elements on the initiative, including its structure, governance and safeguards, before taking positions.
The fine print: Tripodi’s message combined openness with legal and strategic guardrails:
- Italy is ready for “constructive negotiations” to strengthen transatlantic cooperation in the spirit of the EU–U.S. Joint Declaration of last August and in line with the European position;
- she also urged rapid, concrete steps to reduce strategic industries’ overdependence on Chinese critical materials through frank dialogue among allies;
- then she asked for more detail on the initiative to assess supply-chain impacts and ensure full compatibility with WTO obligations and EU trade commitments, including existing free trade agreements.
Between the lines: The virtual meeting builds on momentum from the first Critical Minerals Summit convened in Washington by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, where Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was the only European to deliver opening remarks.
- The meeting marked a strategic shift, elevating critical minerals from a technical supply issue to a core pillar of Western industrial and security strategy. Rome’s prominent role signaled growing U.S. recognition of Italy as a key partner in reshaping allied supply chains away from China.
What’s next: Italy said it will intensify coordination at both national and EU levels to evaluate the proposal, aiming to seize opportunities while safeguarding compliance with international commitments and the coherence of European trade policy amid a rapidly evolving global landscape.
The bottom line: The race to secure critical minerals is entering a new phase: less about access alone, more about who writes the rules of the supply chains powering the 21st-century economy.
