Italy and the UK agreed a new export and investment partnership on Wednesday, with London hailing it as the first such accord with an EU country following its break with the bloc.

The Italian government said the memorandum of understanding aimed to "deepen the solid economic partnership between the two countries, adapting it to the post-Brexit context".

Trade ties between the two countries are covered by an agreement the UK signed with the European Union after leaving the bloc following the 2016 Brexit vote.

But Rome said the new partnership aimed to create a structure in which companies and institutions could better cooperate, focusing on the most innovative sectors, including the green economy and life sciences.

The new partnership aimed to create a structure in which companies and institutions could better cooperate, focusing on the most innovative sectors, including the green economy and life sciences

UK Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch visited Rome to sign the agreement with Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

"This partnership marks a significant milestone in the UK's trading relationship with Europe," Badenoch said in a statement, adding that it would boost trade and investment between British and Italian businesses and "ease the path for valuable investment".

Trade between the two countries is worth more than £43 billion (€48.5 billion) annually, according to the UK.

UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly is also visiting Italy this week for talks with Tajani and the two countries' defence ministers. The UK, Italy and Japan announced in December that they will jointly develop a future fighter jet.

The new "Global Combat Air Programme" is slated to produce its first jets by 2035, merging the three nations' costly existing research into new aerial war technology, from stealth capacity to high-tech sensors.

Cleverly also intends to discuss how to reduce the flow of illegal migrants into and across Europe, a particular concern of Italy's new far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The UK foreign minister will also visit Malta for discussions on the same subject, his office said.

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