Overview
- The Rome summit produced signed protocols and a reinforced cooperation plan spanning defense, industry, trade, culture, education, startups, critical materials and transport.
- Defense cooperation includes joint projects in aviation, missile, naval and subsea systems, and Italy will join an existing multilateral arms‑export arrangement.
- Meloni and Merz say their alignment helped reopen EU auto CO2 rules and advance technological neutrality, with details still subject to EU implementation.
- Rome and Berlin will take coordinated proposals to the extraordinary European Council meeting on February 12.
- The two governments are urging provisional activation of the Mercosur trade deal, which remains unresolved due to EU parliamentary and legal processes.