Italian companies are exposed significantly to Trump duties. Some new data released by Confartigianato They confirmed that the production system of our country depends a lot on exports to the United States. A situation that involves a large number of small and micro enterprises, as well as larger ones.
The US are a fundamental outlet market especially for some sectors manufacturingwhich export a very important percentage of their products in the USA and which would therefore suffer a lot of the imposition of customs duties.
Italian companies are exposed to duties
A note of Confartigianato He explained the reasons for the great concerns of Italian companies for the duties that could enter into force by 1 August between the European Union and States United. According to the sector association, between 2022 and 2024 there were 25,037 companies that have exported from our country permanently and directly to the USA.
The overall value of these exports is around 56 billion euros In only 2024. An important figure, which would inevitably be reduced by duties. If the US imposed the payment of a tax on all European goods to their importers, these would be forced to raise prices and consequently sales would risk decreasing.
The most difficult sectors
In general, always according to the data provided by Confartigianatothe American market represents for each Italian company 13.4% total exports. However, the situation changes radically according to how the sector in which each individual company operates is exposed to the USA through its exports. The most affected by duties may be:
- the mechanical sector;
- the pharmaceutical sector;
- The fashion sector.
In these areas, many of the 6,259 companies operate which Confartigianato has identified how those that would suffer most of the imposition of duties customs US. For these companies, the USAs represent 50% of total exports, for a total of 11.1 billion euros per year.
They are also not of large companies, which would have greater ability to redirect their production on other markets. 5,853 of the companies considered more exposed are in fact they are micro businesseswith less than 10 employees, who however give employment to 51,700 people and generate 4.2 billion exports directed towards the United States.
The question of the pharmaceutical sector
According to what the President of the United States said Donald Trumpto risk severe duties will be above all the companies pharmaceutical. For years this sector has been permanently in second place after mechanics for value exported abroad and has its main outlet market in the USA. Trump said that:
Basically the pharmaceutical products will not be part of the agreement, because we must make them build, produce in the United States, and we want them to be products in the United States. And I think it’s easy to say, and I think it is important to say, pharmaceutical products are very special. We cannot find ourselves in a position in which we must depend on other countries.
A serious blow to Italy and for companies operating in this sector, who will have to find another outlet market or face significant drops in revenues. A crisis that could also have repercussions on GDP of the entire nation.
