EU: Fitto, 'a large market that needs to be strengthened, the key word is flexibility' - Duties? 'optimistic about negotiations with the US. Von der Leyen said that...' - Affaritaliani.it videos

The negotiations on duties with the US ''are underway. Europe, the European Commission is acting in a serious and credible manner, with an open and constructive spirit, but also in the awareness of having to assert its positions'', underlines the vice-president of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, speaking on the sidelines of the Forum in Masseria. ''The hope is that an agreement will be found, but evidently it takes two to reach it'', he adds. Fitto says he is "absolutely optimistic" hoping "that a point of convergence will be found''.

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''President von der Leyen said something very clearly, that is, that Europe is taking a serious and constructive approach. If there are choices that go in one direction, Europe will respond in the same way, but the work and the hope - he reiterates - is to find a point of synthesis''. The deadline of 9 July, explains the vice president, ''can be the subject of an agreement and at the same time an extension. So it is a very complex negotiation, it is not simple. My opinion is that there is a mutual interest in finding a point of synthesis, because any tariffs would not only create a problem for Europe, but would also create one for the United States. At this moment the hope is that there can be a dialogue and an agreement that can respect the mutual needs of both Europe and the United States''.

Pnrr: Fitto, 'it can represent a turning point for many issues we are experiencing'

The PNRR "can represent a great opportunity for the future and can also be a keystone with respect to many of the great issues that we are experiencing", explains the vice-president of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, speaking at the forum in the masseria. The National Recovery and Resilience Plan includes "a lot of money", he observes. "We must spend, yes, but we must also spend well and the issue of the quality of spending is fundamental to avoid imagining the use of these resources without an effective logic". "Flexibility, that is, spending resources based on the new scenario, is crucial and above all the priorities are fundamental in this sense", underlines Fitto. "Therefore we must carry out this very important work that the European Commission, despite a thousand difficulties, is carrying forward".

Pnrr: Fitto, 'impossible extension, Italy's progress positive'

''It seems to me that the impossibility of an extension'' of the PNRR has been acquired because ''it would mean changing 3 regulations'' it would require ''unanimity of the member states and ratification by various states. I see it as quite complex'', the words of the vice president of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto at the Forum in Masseria. As for Italy, Fitto underlines that ''it has made positive progress'', in recent days it obtained the green light for the seventh installment and the government has sent the request for payment of the eighth installment to the commission. ''We are in the final phase'' in which ''the issue of spending is very important but not decisive'' because the plan also includes ''reforms and investments''.

''It seems to me that a very positive path of collaboration between the European Commission and the Italian government continues'', Fitto emphasizes. ''Having had the seventh installment approved is evidence of a coherent advancement of the program''. ''We also received the communication in the achievement of the results of the eighth installment'' and the European Commission ''approved, a few weeks ago, a communication with which we give the tools to the Member States to be able to possibly further modify the plans in the last phase'' because ''we confirmed the deadline of August 2026. However, I like to underline how the work of positive collaboration between the European Commission and the Italian government continues very well''. The vice president reiterates ''the deadline in August 2026. We have given the tools and therefore, on this, no derogation can be given''. Having said that, he underlines, "in the communication that we approved we give the Member States many options to be able to solve the problem. One of these is the possibility of placing outside the PNRR, within the cohesion policy, with different deadlines, the projects that might have problems at the deadline of August 2026". Furthermore, "other useful tools have been given, which we are putting in place, with which to be able to help the Member States to complete and respect the deadlines of August 2026", explains Fitto. "With the achievement of the seventh instalment, with the approval of the seventh instalment and with the achievement of the objectives of the eighth, Italy is in an absolutely positive position", underlines the vice president. The next step could be that of "a further possible revision, which the government will evaluate together with the European Commission, to complete and improve the aspects of the last two instalments and then define the achievement of these results". "I think I can state two issues very clearly on the National Recovery and Residency Plan: the positive collaboration between the Commission and Italian Government and the very positive results that the Italian national plan is demonstrating''.

Fitto and the agreement on competitiveness

"The agreement on competitiveness with France and Germany? The issue concerns the three governments, if the large European countries could find key European agreements with the EU Commission it would certainly be a positive fact. But it is not up to me to enter into the merits of the evaluations and choices that are made by 3 countries", the words of Raffaele Fitto on the sidelines of the Forum in Masseria.

EU: Fitto, budget? Conditions for Regions to have a role

"It is a discussion that, as you know, is ongoing . We are working on the presentation of the next multi-year budget. I believe that all the conditions are in place for the regions to continue to have the important role they have had up to now". This is how the vice-president of the European Commission Raffaele Fitto responds, on the sidelines of the Forum in Masseria, to a question on the possibility of an undersizing of the role of the Regions in the management of European funds. "But it is a discussion that I prefer not to enter into, because the first meeting of the college to approve this proposal is scheduled for July 16 - he continues - so it is a useful interlocutory phase and I hope it is positive". "I am representing the European Commission, so I am in dialogue with Italy as with the other 26 member states", Fitto specifies again

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In Europe, "we have markets with which it is possible to strengthen the numbers" . It is necessary to "have an understanding, improve some areas and strengthen others". In the EU internal market, "it is necessary to strengthen the logic, the prospects and the potential". "It is a large market, the potential and the productive sectors can be strengthened, which can have a better impact", explains the vice-president of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto at the Forum in Masseria. "A change of approach is needed, because the evolution at a global level involves changes that must also see the institutions capable of using the key word, which is the flexibility of choices", he adds.

EU: Fitto, 'there are conditions for important role of regions on funds, meeting on 16 July'

The discussion on the role of the regions ''is ongoing. We are working on the presentation of the next multi-year budget. I believe that all the conditions are in place for the regions to continue to have the important role they have had up to now''. This was stated by the vice-president of the European Commission, Raffaele Fitto, speaking at the Forum in Masseria. ''It is a discussion in which I prefer not to enter because - he explains - the first time the college is scheduled to approve this proposal is on 16 July''. Therefore, according to the vice-president, ''it is a useful, positive and I hope constructive interlocutory phase. Italy is not alone in this, on the contrary. I am representing the European Commission, therefore I am in dialogue with Italy, as with all the other 26 member states'', concludes Fitto.