The EU “saves” made in Italy exports: green light to the free circulation of food and medicines

The European Union saves 44.6 billion of Made in Italy exports blocked at the borders, due to the limits set by an increasing number of European countries. Coldiretti says, who expresses satisfaction with the guidelines on border management measures, which guarantee the free circulation of food in the context of the Covid-19 emergency, presented to the member states by the Commission, which considered “fundamental” the free movement of goods, in particular essential goods such as food supplies and medical and protective supplies, and for this reason “the control measures should not cause serious disruptions in the supply chains of essential services of general interest and the national economies and the economy of the EU as a whole”.
“This is a highly awaited pronouncement after the unilateral decisions of many Member States have undermined deliveries abroad with serious damage mainly to perishable food products”, explains Coldiretti President Ettore Prandini about the difficulties posed in many borders, from Brenner to Slovenia. Almost two-thirds (63%) of Italian agro-food exports concern the countries of the European Union, where growth in 2019 was 3.6%. The concern, Coldiretti points out, also concerns possible delays and slowdowns in transport which risk damaging perishable goods in particular with fruit and vegetables in a situation where 88% of goods in Italy travel by road.The pronouncement of the European Union is important to support Made in Italy food exports after the campaign of disinformation, instrumental attacks and unfair competition that has led some countries to request even senseless health certifications “virus-free” on food products from Italy that led the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to open an e-mail address (coronavirus.merci@esteri.it) where to report restrictions and discrimination against Italian products.