Italy and Germany have reinforced their strategic partnership at a Rome summit, aligning on competitiveness, defense, energy and EU reform. The meeting signals a stronger Rome–Berlin axis as both governments push for deregulation, industrial integration and faster EU decision-making ahead of the February European Council.

cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/46064197

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Rome and Berlin are moving beyond coordination toward a structured strategic partnership, signing new agreements on competitiveness, defense and resilience — and positioning themselves as agenda-setters inside the EU.

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What was agreed:

  • Competitiveness and industrial policy: Italian sources describe the joint competitiveness document as a shared push by Europe’s two main manufacturing powers to reduce bureaucracy, speed up approval procedures and strengthen the single market. The paper calls for a more ambitious EU trade policy and will feed into discussions at the February European Council.
  • Security, defense and resilience: The newly signed agreement on security, defense and resilience introduces a more structured coordination between the two administrations and aims to deepen industrial cooperation. Italian officials frame it as a concrete contribution to European security, with a focus on interoperability, production capacity and long-term deterrence.
  • Defense industry cooperation: Officials point to existing and emerging industrial platforms as the backbone of the partnership, including land systems cooperation and joint projects in advanced defense technologies. The goal, according to Italian sources, is to move from cooperation to shared capability-building at European level.
  • Energy and hydrogen: Energy remains a priority pillar, with Italy and Germany among the core partners of the Southern Hydrogen Corridor linking North Africa to Central Europe. Italian officials describe the project as both an industrial opportunity and a strategic infrastructure for Europe’s energy transition and security.
  • Africa and external projection: A notable upgrade concerns cooperation in Africa. Italian officials confirm the launch of new joint projects in the central Sahel and the Lake Chad region, integrating Italy’s Mattei Plan with German development initiatives.

The two countries have also pledged to work together to secure supply chains for raw materials vital to their economies, according to a document seen by Reuters, as Rome urges partners to counter what it sees as China’s growing influence over global prices. G7 and other major economies are discussing ways to reduce dependence on Chinese rare earths, including potentially setting a price floor and forming new partnerships to develop alternative supply sources.

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