EU sanctions on Russia have caused €7.5 billion in damage to Italy in two years, halting a growth in Italian agri-food exports to Russia that more than doubled in value (+112 percent) in the five years prior to the blockade. This is the estimate of Coldiretti, which denounces the negative effects on the Italian economy produced by the passive acceptance of American anti-Putin policies.
Italian agribusiness has been directly affected by the embargo sanctioned on August 7, 2014 by Russia in retaliation to the sudden European sanctions, and has recorded losses in excess of 600 million euros. The measures also affected other Made in Italy sectors, with 2 billion euros in losses in textiles, clothing, accessories, 1.2 billion in automobiles.
Sanctions and the ensuing embargo have then stimulated the counterfeiting of typical Italian products: from Italia salami to Casa Italia mozzarella, from Buona Italia salad to Unagrande Robiola, but also mortadella Milano or Parmesan, all made in Russia. An avalanche of fake Made in Italy even in ‘on-site’ Italian restaurants, which have inevitably run out of original raw materials.
