Italy is sticking to its guns over demands to ease the European Union's climate package in light of the global financial crisis, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Monday.
Speaking at a meeting of EU foreign and industry ministers ahead of an EU summit starting on Thursday, Frattini said that negotiations had been ''making progress'' but added that some of Italy's ''unavoidable requests'' to protect the country's economy had not yet been satisfied.
''We have some red lines (that must be respected), principally the defence of some sectors in the manufacturing industry,'' he said.
According to Industry Minister Claudio Scajola, Italy's request for a review of renewable energy issues in 2014 was accepted on Monday.
But a request for a second review of the entire package after the world climate conference in Copenhagen at the end of 2009 was still on the table.
Frattini hailed other steps forward, including the introduction of parameters that will serve to identify business sectors at risk from the climate deal as well as a pledge from current EU president France that the package will require unanimous approval.
He said that ''many countries'' including Germany and the United Kingdom had also told the meeting they could not accept the package as it stands, adding that they had asked for ''more drastic'' changes than Italy.
The minister said France would present a new compromise text on Wednesday.
Earlier on Monday Frattini had said that Italy was prepared to compromise on its demands to ease the package, ''but not at all costs''.
He said Italy had presented requests for changes that were ''absolutely indispensable for our economy'' in the light of the global financial crisis.
As it stands, the EU climate package sets a 2020 deadline to reduce greenhouse gases by 20% below 1990 levels through a 20% increase in the use of renewable energy and a 20% boost in energy efficiency.
