Italian, EU officials hold Brexit task force meeting in Rome

A Brexit taskforce meeting of Italian and European Union officials took place at the Prime Minister's office in Rome Friday to discuss preparation of emergency measures should Britain leave the EU in March without a deal. Diplomat Pietro Benassi chaired the meeting, which was attended by a delegation of European Commission experts headed by its deputy secretary-general Celine Gauer, according to a statement from Italian premier Giuseppe Conte's office.

The meeting covered safety and rights of citizens, the financial services sector, food and agriculture, preparation of companies and infrastructure (including ports, airports and customs), as well as the transport sector, the internal market, the environment, education, research and judicial co-operation, according to the statement. Italy's economy ministry said Thursday that it had taken the necessary steps to ensure the 'full continuity of the markets' in the case of a no-deal Brexit. The measures will only be adopted, probably via a decree, if Britain effectively crashes out of the EU without a deal, making it a third country on March 30, the ministry said.