Italy 5th hardest hit in EU by US tariffs

(ANSA) - Rome, October 8 - Italy will be the fifth hardest hit country by US tariffs in the European Union, the foreign trade institute (ICE) in New York said Tuesday.
    ICE said the value of imports affected would be "much lower" than the four countries in the Airbus consortium, France, UK, Germany and Spain, a consortium which was the direct cause of the retaliatory tariffs.
    The ICE report was based on 2018 figures, projected onto 2019.
    The report was issued in a statement by the Pecorino Romano cheese consortium.
    It said the brunt of the tariffs would be borne by France, 27.7%, and the UK, 25.9%, followed by Germany with 19.8%, Spain with 11.2%, Italy with 6.4% and Ireland with 6.4%.
    The tariffs announced by President Donald Trump last week will hit mainly Italian cheeses like pecorino and parmigiano.
    Olive oil, mozzarella, and prosciutto will be largely unaffected.