Lou Barletta said Tuesday that he will lead a coalition of companies to ensure Italian food products are not unfairly impacted by tariffs in a trade dispute involving European aviation manufacturer Airbus. The coalition of leading Italian food companies, manufacturers and trade associations announced Tuesday the creation of the American Italian Food Coalition (AIFC), a consortium that will work to ensure that American tariff policies do not target Italian pasta, coffee, biscuits and wafers.

The AIFC will be led by former U.S. Rep.Barletta, a Hazleton Republican who served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. According to the AIFC, in 2018, the WTO ruled Airbus received subsidies from four European Union (EU) member states: France, Spain, Germany, and the United Kingdom.