US auto tariffs may hurt itself, says Italian FM

ROME - Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani warned Thursday that the universal 25 percent automobile tariffs announced by the White House would have repercussions not only in Europe, but also in the United States.

"This tariff increase will not be beneficial even for the United States," he told reporters. "Auto prices in America will likely rise, considering that many vehicles produced there rely heavily on European components."

Italy remains firmly against a trade war, and supports diplomatic solutions rather than retaliatory measures, he said. "Our position is very clear: tariffs are never good news, and we must avoid a trade war at all costs."

He said the Italian government had already prepared an action plan, which was presented on March 21, to safeguard its exports and strengthen Italy's presence in non-European markets.

"We will assess the extent of the economic damage step by step and wait until April 2 before drawing definitive conclusions," he said.