Italian premier cancels all appointments for Thursday.

Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni convened emergency talks in Rome on Thursday after US president Donald Trump announced a 20 per cent tariff on EU imports.

Meloni cancelled all prior engagements on Thursday to discuss the fallout from Trump's sweeping tariffs that have sent shockwaves through the EU and the global economy.

The prime minister was joined at Palazzo Chigi by a "task force" of senior government ministers, including Giancarlo Giorgetti (economy), Adolfo Urso (business), Francesco Lollobrigida (agriculture) and Tommaso Foti (European affairs), according to Italian media reports. 

Deputy premier and transport minister Matteo Salvini was also present while fellow deputy premier and foreign minister Antonio Tajani was joining by video link from Brussels.

On Wednesday night Meloni criticised the tariffs on EU goods, saying she considered the move to be "wrong" and one that "does not benefit any of the parties involved."

In a statement, Meloni said the Italian government will seek an agreement with the US to avert "a trade war that would inevitably weaken the West to the advantage of other global players", adding: "We will act in the interest of Italy and its economy, also by coordinating with our European partners."

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