Negotiations pay off: U.S. sharply cuts tariffs on 13 pasta brands

(Rome, Jan 2) Italy said on Thursday that the United States has decided to substantially reduce anti-dumping tariff rates on several pasta producers, reversing an earlier plan to impose extremely steep duties.

Reports said the Trump administration announced last September that it intended to introduce provisional tariffs of more than 91% on Italian pasta starting January 1, 2026, on top of an existing 15% duty. The move followed an investigation into alleged “dumping,” meaning exporting goods at prices below market value.

In October, Italy announced it would enter consultations with the United States and the European Commission to seek a resolution to the pasta trade dispute.

In a statement on Thursday, Italy’s foreign ministry said the U.S. Department of Commerce, which was originally expected to conclude the dumping inquiry on March 11, has issued its decision months earlier, cutting the planned tariff levels for “certain Italian pasta brands” to amounts “well below” what had been announced.

Under the revised rates, La Molisana would face a 2.3% tariff, Garofalo 14%, and the remaining 11 pasta makers 9.1%. Italy said the recalibration signals U.S. recognition of the companies’ concrete willingness to cooperate.

The United States is a key market for Italian pasta exporters. According to Coldiretti, the value of Italian pasta sold in the U.S. in 2024 was estimated at €671 million (about RM3.196 billion), representing roughly 17% of Italy’s total pasta exports.