Italian pasta producers face an unprecedented challenge in the U.S. market, with preliminary tariffs reaching nearly 92% on 13 pasta brands. This significant escalation of trade barriers, announced by the U.S. Department of Commerce on September 4th, threatens to severely disrupt Italy’s substantial pasta exports to the United States, which amounted to nearly €700 million in 2024. The imposition of these tariffs, potentially effective from January 2026, marks a new and concerning phase in a long-standing trade dispute.
The roots of this trade friction trace back to 1996, when U.S. pasta manufacturers first alleged that Italian competitors were engaging in “dumping”—selling their products in the American market at prices below those in their domestic market. While Italian producers have historically faced tariffs as a result of these investigations, the current proposed rates, particularly those imposed under the Trump administration, are of a magnitude previously unseen. When combined with existing 15% duties on EU imports to the U.S., the total tariff burden could reach an imposing 106.74%, a level Italian manufacturers describe as detrimental to their business operations.
Margherita Mastromauro, president of Unione Italiana Food, the principal Italian food producers’ association, characterized the U.S. action as an “unfair, protectionist measure against Italian pasta.” She emphasized the precarious situation for a significant portion of their member companies, suggesting that such high duties would effectively halt exports until a new review can be conducted. The current investigation covers the period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, and Italian producers are expressing hope that a review of the 2025 period might offer some reprieve, though the immediate outlook remains uncertain.
Navigating the Legal and Political Landscape
Efforts to reverse these impending tariffs have been underway since September, with several companies actively pursuing avenues to have the duties lifted. Notably, two Italian pasta makers, Garofalo and La Molisana, have initiated legal proceedings to contest the Commerce Department’s decision. The Italian government and the European Commission are also engaged, though the scope for intervention is reportedly constrained, with the Unione Italiana Food president framing the matter primarily as a legal rather than a political dispute. The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs has officially described the duties as “disproportionate” and has joined the proceedings as an interested party to advocate for this vital sector of the Italian economy.
The European Commission has indicated that this issue could be addressed within the framework of ongoing trade dialogues with the Trump administration. However, EU officials acknowledge that, unlike other unilateral tariffs imposed on European goods that have been criticized for contravening World Trade Organisation (WTO) rules, the U.S. anti-dumping action against pasta appears to be conducted through established trade defense mechanisms permitted by the WTO. An official stated that the Commission is closely monitoring the case and would challenge any perceived irregularities in the investigation, potentially escalating the matter to the WTO. Such a move could, in turn, lead to retaliatory measures from the EU. Socialist Italian Member of the European Parliament, Brando Benifei, who chairs the parliamentary delegation for relations with the U.S., has strongly condemned the U.S. action as “clearly discriminatory” and urged the Commission to take decisive action.
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